Another year, another run at the College Cup.

Stanford will stand alone as the only No. 1 seed in the Final Four next weekend after punching its ticket to Cary, N.C., with a 5-0 victory over Florida State on Friday. Overcoming a talented Seminoles defense, the Cardinal (22-0-2) opened the floodgates in the second half, with five goals scored from as many players and a pair of record-setting marks from senior Christen Press. For the 2009 runner-up Cardinal, the trip will mark its third consecutive College Cup appearance.

Despite the final result, the matchup with the second-seeded Seminoles (16-6-1) had every reason to be a close one. Florida State had outscored its opponents in the NCAA Tournament’s first three rounds by a combined margin of 8-1—a mark identical to Stanford’s. The Seminoles were making their 11th consecutive playoff run, persevered through a bevy of injuries and had lost by multiple goals only once all season.

But Florida State had never faced the Cardinal, and in Friday’s meeting, at least, Stanford was able to find an offensive rhythm and run circles around FSU.

“I think we’ve probably not been under that quality of pressure all season long, even though we have played a top quality schedule,” said FSU head coach Mark Krikorian.

To an extent, the Seminoles were able to disrupt Stanford’s possessive style of offense in the first half, occasionally intercepting passes in the midfield and mounting brief counterattacks. But even if most of its chances came on long passes into a crowded box, the Cardinal was able to establish an increasing measure of control.

“Whenever you get numbers in the box, I think it’s a good opportunity to score,” said Stanford head coach Paul Ratcliffe about his team’s first-half pressure. “It’s something we train for a lot, and we want to see it happen.”

Stanford’s first chance was a good one, with Press pausing in the box before high-kicking a lofty centering pass from junior Camille Levin in the fifth minute. Seminole goalkeeper Kelsey Wys managed to deflect the shot off the crossbar, but the missed opportunity marked the first of many for the Cardinal, which outshot FSU 22-6 on the contest.

Most of the Cardinal’s first-half chances had the same flavor, including an 11th-minute chip from sophomore defender Courtney Verloo after she recovered a chaotic corner kick from junior Lindsay Taylor, who followed that attempt with a point-blank header off a soaring pass from sophomore Mariah Nogueira seven minutes later.

Stanford’s first goal came on a similar play, with Press dumping the ball into the box from deep in the right corner in the 31st minute. Nogueira found the ball in traffic and managed to head it past Wys while streaking in front of the goal from right to left. The goal was Nogueira’s fifth of the season and her first of the tournament. For Press, the score had a bit of added significance—with her 40th assist, she ties Stanford’s all-time mark set by Marcie Ward in 2004.

Stanford headed to the tents at halftime with an 11-3 shooting advantage and a 1-0 lead.

Showing even a bit more spark then it had in the opening frame, the Cardinal was able to charge the net and string together some picture-perfect chances in the second half.

After holding off a dangerous FSU set-piece in the 48th minute, Taylor was able to double the Stanford lead by taking a cross from Levin while storming into the box on the left side. After dribbling at full stride for a few steps, she fired it in from just a few yards in front of the left post. The goal marked the 10th of the season for Taylor, who is tied with classmate Teresa Noyola for the second-highest goal tally on the team.

“During halftime, it was just [about] staying confident, keep playing good soccer,” Ratcliffe said about his team stepping up its pace on offense. “And let’s get another goal. Get another goal to put the game out of reach, basically. And then they just kept coming.”

Stanford all but put away the game a few minutes later, with Press releasing a thirty-yard blast from beyond the left corner of the box. The shot took a sharp bounce off the pitch before ricocheting past Wys and into the left side of the net. Aside from giving her team a 3-0 lead, the goal ties Press with 2010 graduate Kelley O’Hara for the Stanford record for goals in a single season (26).

Noyola added a fourth goal in the 78th minute, knocking a first-time shot off a pass from Kristy Zurmuhlen at the top of the box.

At that point, the substitutes came pouring in and the starters—including the senior Press—went marching out. Press, the national leader in goals and the anchor of a top-ranked offense, couldn’t help but soak in the moment as she stepped off her home field for the final time.

“I was nostalgic, sitting there and watching my team,” she said. “Everyone was so excited to be going to the College Cup. It was a huge crowd and there was a lot of energy, so yeah, I felt a little nostalgic watching everyone.”

Marjani Hing-Glover added a final nail to the coffin in the 86th minute, clinching Stanford’s trip East with a 15-yard shot from mid-stride on the left side of the box.

That sealed the win for Stanford, who will depart for North Carolina later this week. The Cardinal is scheduled to kick off its third consecutive College Cup against Boston College on Friday afternoon.

Stanford played the Eagles on the road to open the 2010 season, and ended the match in a 1-1 draw. Ratcliffe hopes that his team’s recent trips to the College Cup will provide an edge when they meet again.

“I think this team has gained experience from going to the Final Four a couple of times,” Ratcliffe said. “So I hope that experience is invaluable. We’ll go out there with confidence and try to finish the job.”

The Cardinal will face Boston College at 3:30 p.m. PST on Friday, and the winner of that match will play either Notre Dame or Ohio State in the national championship game at 9 a.m. PST on Sunday.