The Florida State soccer team is back in the win column for the sixth time this season after taking down No. 4 Wake Forest in North Carolina. The defending National Champions have had an interesting 2026 campaign so far, with a loss to Florida and a draw against Rice. However, the Seminoles appear to be hitting their stride with a handful of matches left in the regular season.
Midfielder Ashley Henderson opened up the scoring for Florida State, and forward Wrianna Hudson added another goal late in the match to give the Seminoles the 2-0 win. Wake Forest finished the game with four shots on goal as the team was handed its second loss of the season.
Wins over ranked opponents like Clemson and Wake Forest should give the Seminoles enough motivation to finish the season on a strong note. Additionally, Florida State likely will see a boost in the next edition of the NCAA rankings after winning both games away from Tallahassee.
Winners:
1. Goalkeeper Kate Ockene
Florida State may have had a powerful offense that helped carry the team last season, but goalkeeper Kate Ockene was the closer who helped secure the NCAA Championship title with her performances down the stretch. Now, Ockene appears to have hit form once again, and it is at just the right time for the Seminoles.
Ockene recorded four saves against Wake Forest as she kept the team out of the net entirely during the win. The sophomore goalkeeper has seven saves and one goal allowed in the last two matches for Florida State, and the opponents have been difficult ranked teams. Ockene has 28 saves this season and needs just three more for a new career-high.
2. Forward Wrianna Hudson
Junior forward Wrianna Hudson notched her fifth goal of the season against Wake Forest, giving Florida State the 2-0 lead. The insurance goal from Hudson was excellent to see, as the forward had been struggling to find the back of the net. Last season, Hudson recorded 15 goals and 39 shots on goal as she emerged into a serious role within the team.
Hudson now has a goal in each of the last two games for the Seminoles, and getting that version of Hudson from the 2025-26 season back would be huge. Her presence on the field and within the offense is massive for Florida State. The forward could be hitting the gas at just the right time as well, with five matches remaining in the regular season.
3. Coach Brian Pensky
A 5-1-3 start to the 2026 season is not exactly what Pensky would have liked to see after winning the NCAA Championship last season. However, back-to-back wins over No. 23 Clemson and No. 4 Wake Forest breathe life into the team heading down the stretch.
The Seminoles struggled through the first eight matches of the season before facing Clemson, allowing four shots on goal per game and failing to convert their own chances. The team has improved recently, and the powerful offense that helped carry the Seminoles last year is starting to appear once again.
Losers:
1. Midfielder/Forward Sam Erbach
It has been feast or famine this season for Erbach, who transferred over to Florida State after being named Big East Midfielder of the Year last season as a member of Xavier. Erbach has had big performances at times, like her two-goal match against Georgia that sealed the win for Florida State, but at other times has struggled to create opportunities for herself or her teammates.
Last season with Xavier, Erbach notched 18 goals and 16 assists, but currently the midfielder is on track to finish with 12 total goals and assists. It is a different team with different players and a different way of playing the game, but Erbach has not necessarily hit the lofty expectations that came with her transfer to the Seminoles.
Erbach still has five matches left this season to find her form for the Seminoles before entering the postseason.
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