Nov. 19, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The 22nd-ranked Texas A&M soccer team is one of four unseeded teams left in the NCAA Tournament and travels to top-seeded and fifth-ranked Florida State for a 6 p.m. Sweet 16 match on Friday.
The Aggies (15-6-3) already upended a higher-ranked and seeded opponent in LSU last weekend and look to make its fifth run to the Elite Eight as the underdog against the Seminoles (18-4-1) on their home pitch.
Led by juniors Rachel Shipley (8G, 9A) and Whitney Hooper (10G, 4A), A&M is no stranger to upsetting a seeded opponent in Florida. Last season the Aggies traveled to Gainesville, Fla., and came home with a 2-1 upset of the second-seeded Florida Gators.
UF was knocked out of the second round this year, but cross-state rival FSU is one of four No. 1 seeds still in the hunt for a national championship. The Seminoles’ offense is led by two sophomores, Tiffany McCarthy and Jessica Price, who account for half of the team’s goals. Florida State has never lost an NCAA Tournament match at home.
The two teams face each other for the first time since 2000 and clash in their third meeting Friday. It will mark the first time A&M and FSU have met in the NCAA Tournament.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
AggieAthletics.com will provide free live audio and live stats of Friday’s match. KNDE-FM’s HD3 channel, Play x REPlay (95.1-3 on the FM dial of an HD Radio) will also broadcast the game, making it available worldwide on any iPhone, iPod Touch, Blackberry or PDA free of charge. Log on to radioaggieland.com for more information.
TICKETS
Fans interested in attending the match can purchase general admission tickets at the gate or online at www.seminoles.com for the following prices: Adult $7.00, Student (ID Required) $5.00, Youth (Ages 3-18) $5.00, Senior (50 and Older) $5.00. Ticketing questions can be referred to the FSU Ticket Office at (850) 644-1830 or (888) 378-6653.
A&M IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
The Aggies are 25-14-1 in 15 straight NCAA Tournament appearances. The run began in 1995, with the team making it as far as the Sweet 16 10 times and the Elite Eight on four occasions (2001, 02, 06, 08). A&M has only been knocked out in the first round twice (1996, 97).
This is the first time the Aggies started the postseason on the road. Until this year, A&M had at least hosted the first and second rounds. The good news…the Aggies only need two wins to return home for the College Cup in Aggieland.
A&M IS AMONG THE NATION’S ELITE
Texas A&M has reached the round of 32 12 consecutive times (13 overall), ranking them fifth in the nation behind North Carolina (28), Notre Dame (17) and Virginia (16) and UCLA (13). CollegeSoccer360.com shows the Aggies with the fourth-most NCAA round-of-16 appearances since 2001. North Carolina, Portland and UCLA have made nine appearances while A&M, Florida State, Notre Dame and Virginia have each made seven.
AGGIES LEAD THE BIG 12 TO POSTSEASON
Texas A&M is the only Big 12 school remaining in the tournament. In addition, A&M boasts the most tournament appearances of any Big 12 program, making its 15th this year. Nebraska is the next closest with 10 NCAA berths and Oklahoma State, who joined the Aggies in the 2009 bracket before falling in PK’s to Santa Clara in the second round, made its fifth appearance.
A LOOK BACK
Texas A&M defeated Texas State (5-2), Washington (3-1) and Florida (2-1) to reach the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament last season before falling to the eventual national champion, UNC (2-1), in double overtime. The Aggies ended the year with the same preseason ranking they received in 2009 - No. 7 - by the NSCAA.
SCOUTING FLORIDA STATE
The Seminoles are ranked fifth in the nation and are one of four No. 1 seeds in the tournament. They earned an at-large bid to their 10th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the third round for the fifth straight year and eighth time overall. Florida State received a national seed for the fifth year in a row and the top seed for the first time in program history. The team has reached the Women’s College Cup three of the last four seasons, including both times it’s been in College Station.
FSU is riding a 17-match home winning streak and is undefeated at home in the postseason with a 17-0 mark. McCarthy and Price lead the Seminoles in goals with 17 and 15 respectively. Price also adds a team-high 10 assists and each player posts 40 points. Erin McNulty is in goal for Florida State and records a 0.83 goals against average and a .757 save percentage.
Florida State is ranked sixth in the nation in scoring and averages 2.83 goals per match while limiting its opponents to 0.83 goals per game. The Seminoles have, however, given up a season-high three goals in two of its losses this season.
VERSUS THE SEMINOLES
Texas A&M and Florida State meet for the third time in program history on Friday. The all-time series is tied at 1-1-0 as each school was victorious on their home pitch – Texas A&M won, 2-1, in College Station in 1999 and FSU won, 4-1, in Tallahassee in 2000. This marks the first time the two teams clash in the postseason.
UP NEXT
The NCAA Tournament continues with the quarterfinals on Nov. 27, 28 or 29 and the College Cup is set for Dec. 4 and 6 at the Aggie Soccer Stadium. Should the Aggies defeat FSU, they will face the winner of second-seeded Notre Dame and Oregon State. Should Notre Dame win, A&M will travel north to Indiana for the Elite Eight, but if Oregon State pulls an upset, the Aggies should return home to the Aggie Soccer Stadium.
SHIPLEY WOMEN’S COLLEGE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALIST
Shipley was one of 38 of the nation’s top women’s soccer players that was named as a finalist for the Soccer News Net Player of the Year Award. Online fan voting will account for 40% of the total toward the award. The remaining 60% of the vote will be cast by the editorial staffs of the six web sites. Show your support for Aggie soccer and for Shipley by clicking on the following link to vote: http://www.dallassoccernews.com/college/wplayerpoll.php
PETERSON PERFORMER OF THE WEEK
Senior Emily Peterson was selected as a CollegeSoccer360.com Primetime Performer of the Week on Nov. 17. Peterson collected the honor after she tallied a goal and an assist in the first and second rounds. Against Memphis, she set up junior Whitney Hooper’s game-winner to mark her fifth career assist. Then, against No. 10 LSU, the Tulsa, Okla., native netted the second goal of her career that forced a penalty kick shootout. The three points were the first from the central defender since her freshman year.
TOPDRAWERSOCCER.COM HONORS
Shipley was named honorable mention on the TDS Women’s College Soccer Team of the Season and freshman Mary Grace Schmidt was recognized on the TDS All-Rookie second team.
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