Nov. 2, 2009

• Soccer Tickets: http://www.theacc.com/championships/09-soccer-tickets.html  
• ACC Women’s Soccer Championship: http://www.theacc.com/championships/09-womens-soccer-championship.html  
• 2009 Championship Bracket http://www.theacc.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/acc/sports/w-soccer/auto_pdf/09accwsocbracket  

CARY, N.C. (theACC.com) – Florida State will be the top-seeded team as the 22nd Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Soccer Championship gets under way Wednesday (Nov. 4) at Cary’s WakeMed Soccer Park.

The nationally third-ranked Seminoles (14-3-1 overall) finished tied with sixth-ranked Boston College (15-2-1) for the top spot in the final ACC standings. Both teams posted 7-2-1 marks in ACC play, but Florida State received the nod as the number one seed by virtue of its 3-2 win over the Eagles during the regular season.

Defending NCAA champion and four-time defending ACC champion North Carolina (14-3-1, 7-3) will be seeded third. The Tar Heels have won 19 of the previous 21 ACC Championship titles and own a 54-0-3 all-time record in Championship play. North Carolina also claimed the first ACC title in 1987, which was determined by regular-season play.

Each of the Championship’s top six seeds – Florida State, Boston College, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and Maryland – are all currently ranked among the nation’s Top 20 teams by the NSCAA, Soccer America and Soccer Times. Seventh-seeded Virginia is ranked No. 25 this week by Soccer America, and eighth-seeded Duke were also ranked nationally earlier in the regular season.

Quarterfinal action kicks off Wednesday at noon, when Florida State faces eighth-seeded Duke (8-7-4, 4-4-2). The teams battled to a 0-0 tie at Duke on Oct. 11 as Blue Devil freshman goalkeeper Tara Campbell recorded eight saves.

The 2:30 p.m. match features No. 4 Virginia Tech (13-6, 6-4) against No.5 Wake Forest (13-4-2, 5-3-2). Marika Gray’s two goals led the Hokies to a 4-3 win over the Demon Deacons when the teams met at Winston-Salem, N.C.., on Oct. 22.

Wednesday’s 5 p.m. match finds Boston College facing seventh-seeded Virginia (9-5-4, 4-4-2). The Cavaliers battled their way into the Championship by going unbeaten in their final four regular-season matches, including a 1-0 win over Florida State last Friday night. Boston College claimed a 1-0 overtime win when the teams met at Newton, Mass., on Oct. 11, with Gina DiMartino and Hannah Cerrone assisting Brooke Knowlton on the decisive goal four minutes into the extra period.

North Carolina’s match against sixth-seeded Maryland (12-4-2, 4-4-2) will be a rematch of Sunday’s regular-season finale at College Park, Md. Rachel Givan assisted Maria Lubrano on the lone goal seven minutes into the match, and UNC’s defense held from there.

Wednesday’s winners advance to Friday’s semifinal round, where game times are set for 5 p.m, and 7:30 p.m. The championship match is set for Sunday at 2 p.m. and will be televised by Fox Sports South.

To purchase tickets online or to obtain more information, log on to theACC.com and follow the links to the soccer pages in the ACC Championships section:

Soccer Tickets: http://www.theacc.com/championships/09-soccer-tickets.html  

ACC Women’s Soccer Championship: http://www.theacc.com/championships/09-womens-soccer-championship.html  

ACC Championship WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C.

Quarterfinals on Wednesday, Nov. 4
Noon – Florida State (14-3-1, 7-2-1) vs. Duke (8-7-4, 4-4-2)
2:30 pm – Virginia Tech (13-6, 6-4) vs. Wake Forest (13-4-2, 5-3-2)
5 pm – Boston College (15-2-1, 7-2-1) vs. Virginia (9-5-4, 4-4-2)
7:30 pm – North Carolina (14-3-1, 7-3) vs. Maryland (12-4-2, 4-4-2)

Semifinals on Friday. Nov. 6
5 pm – Winners of Wednesday’s 1st and 2nd matches
7:30 p.m. – Winners of Wednesday’s 3rd and 4th matches

Championship on Sunday, Nov. 8
2 pm – Winners of Friday’s matches