MATCH PREVIEW: NCAA Tournament First Round at Florida State
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Texas A&M soccer team has a rematch of its season opener when the squad faces No. 1 Florida State in Friday's NCAA Division I Championship second round match. First kick at Seminole Soccer Complex is slated for 4:30 p.m.
The Aggies are playing in their 28th NCAA Tournament in the last 29 years. With a win Texas A&M would advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the 17th time. This marks Texas A&M's 24th appearance in the NCAA Second Round in the last 26 seasons. Only North Carolina has played in the second round more times over that span.
The squads opened the 2023 campaign as combatants at Ellis Field with the then-No. 6 Seminoles escaping town with a 2-1 victory thanks to an 87th-minute goal by Taylor Huff. Florida State led early but A&M's Sammy Smith tied the match in the waning moments of the first half. The game was neck-and-neck on the stat sheet. Florida State owned a slight edge in shots (11-10) and shots-on-goal (5-4) and corner kicks were tied 3-3.
The teams have met twice in the NCAA Tournament with Florida State winning both times in Tallahassee, including a Sweet Sixteen match in 2012 and an Elite Eight contest in 2016.
Texas A&M is 10-7-4 on the season and Aggies posted a 4-3-3 mark in SEC action. The registered a 5-4-1 record against teams in the NCAA Tournament field.
The Maroon & White are led into battle by All-SEC performers Carolyn Calzada and Mia Pante. Calzada, a first-team defender, also earned SEC All-Tournament Team honors. She has started 18 matches for a squad that boasts 10 shutouts on the season. Pante earned second-team midfielder distinction for the second time. She has 10 points on the year with three goals and four assists. Her game-winner against Colorado last week landed her on the SportsCenter Top 10.
The match airs on ESPN+. To stream the match, fans must have an ESPN+ subscription. A radio call is available on CHRISTMAS 97.3 FM in the Brazos Valley and worldwide on the 12th Man Mobile app and at 12thMan.com/watch.
For more second round preview content, listen to David Ellis and Coach G on a special NCAA edition of Off The Pitch by clicking here.
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