Brian Pensky felt his Florida State soccer team was "physically and emotionally battered" in a shock 3-1 loss to Florida. While Pensky said his Seminoles (3-0-1) team was prepared for the game tactically, he said the rivalry showdown was a battle of wills, and the Seminoles weren't able to get off the mat after the Gators' first goal on Sunday, Aug. 23. "They battled us more than we battled them. As a result, they physically and emotionally battered us. We were on the mat after that first goal, and we didn't get up," Pensky said. "We tried to get up at times, but I don't know if we really had a galvanized belief that a goal was going to come." Pensky said his team was "embarrassed" after the loss, but the group has responded well in training ahead of a road trip to No. 25 Georgia (3-1-2) on Thursday, Sep 3. He acknowledged that the first 20 minutes of the game against the Gators put the Seminoles behind as they couldn't convert on half-chances, and Florida punished them on counterattacks. He said his team needs to be ready for things to be "hard" at all times, and he's confident that the unit is back on the right track. "We all were embarrassed and still are embarrassed. Now it's what kind of vengeance do you grow and have coming out of that embarrassment," Pensky said. "I think we are ready."
The Bulldogs have some similarities to the Seminoles, according to Pensky, and he said the team is capable of running up the scoresheet with 14 goals scored this season. Defensively, Georgia has only conceded four goals and will provide a stiff challenge for FSU. Pensky will be without midfielder Nyanya Touray (United States) and Canadian defenders Janet Okeke and Bridget Mutipula, all called up for the U-20 World Cup in Poland. Those are three starters that the program will miss out on, leaving veterans like forward Wrianna Hudson to step up in their absences. With over a week to prepare for the game after the Florida loss, Pensky thinks his Seminoles are in a good spot as the program heads to Athens. "We don't have to come out crazily emotionally charged, we got to come out with what's our plan. We feel pretty good about our plan going into Thursday to where they're in a place they can execute. At the same time, win physical battles that maybe we did not win a week ago," Pensky said. And we never really talk about 'Gotta win.' We don't; we talk about what are the things we need to do well and be good at, and hope the result can take care of itself." How to watch FSU soccer vs. Georgia
When: Thursday, Sep. 3 / 6:30 p.m. Where: Turner Soccer Complex / Athens, Georgia Watch: ESPNU
Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU soccer ready to bounce back against Georgia after shock Florida loss