No. 7 Virginia makes history in 3-2 comeback win over No. 2 North Carolina
Virginia completes comeback, makes history in 3-2 win
No. 7 Virginia sends a shockwave through DI women's soccer with a dominant second half against No. 2 North Carolina, winning 3-2 behind three goals in 20 minutes.
It's the first time in North Carolina history that the Tar Heels have lost in regulation after leading by two goals.
Recap here, full-time stats below:
Virginia leads! 🤯
72' GOAL: North Carolina 2-3 Virginia. What a turnaround for the Hoos! Lia Godfrey lashes her fourth goal of the season into the low left corner and Dorrance Field has gone silent. Virginia has taken four shots in the second half and scored three times in less than 20 minutes.
The Hoos are 15 minutes away from making history: North Carolina has NEVER lost in regulation after leading by two goals.
72' | UVA 3, UNC 2
— Virginia Women's Soccer (@UVAWomenSoccer) September 17, 2022
HOOS HAVE THE LEAD!
Maggie Cagle finds Lia Godfrey who Slips it between the keeper and the post!#GoHoos🔶⚔️🔷 | #ALLIN⚽️🔥 pic.twitter.com/y3H3r52KkX
Virginia ties it up within minutes
61' GOAL: North Carolina 2-2 Virginia. Alexa Spaanstra was in the right place at the right time, heading home past Emmie Allen as the ball bounced around the box on a Virginia corner kick. It's been all Hoos for several minutes now and it's anyone's game at this point.
61' | UVA 2, UNC 2
— Virginia Women's Soccer (@UVAWomenSoccer) September 17, 2022
TIE IT UP ALEXA SPAANSTRA!
Lia Godfrey's corner isn't cleared with a header and Lacey McCormack flicks a header toward frame that Spaanstra finishes!#GoHoos🔶⚔️🔷 | #ALLIN⚽️🔥 pic.twitter.com/7rUx3lGruo
Virginia pulls one back through Jarrett
54' GOAL: North Carolina 2-1 Virginia. Rebecca Jarrett scores her third goal of the season, picking up the ball near the right touchline and dribbling her way into the semicircle with ease. A slick finish with her left, just the jolt the Hoos needed as they try to even things up in Chapel Hill.
54' | UNC 2, UVA 1
— Virginia Women's Soccer (@UVAWomenSoccer) September 17, 2022
Rebecca Jarrett creates her own opportunity and finishes to get the Hoos on the board with the left-footed shot.#GoHoos🔶⚔️🔷 | #ALLIN⚽️🔥 pic.twitter.com/6jGwpMBwvv
North Carolina dominates first half
After allowing just one goal in eight matches this season and a clean sheet streak of 648 minutes, Virginia conceded twice in just over 10 minutes against North Carolina.
To say the first half was lopsided would be an understatement. The Cavaliers could not muster a single shot in the entire 45 minutes, leaving UNC keeper Emmie Allen with little to do besides just organizing her defense.
Avery Patterson may not be on the scoresheet yet, but she was integral to both Tar Heel goals, credited with two assists. Even when not in possession, UNC has applied pressure all the way up the pitch, corner to corner.
Here is a look at team stats at the break:
Sentnor doubles the Tar Heels' lead
25' GOAL: North Carolina 2-0 Virginia. Sam Meza drove forward into the left half-space and played in Avery Patterson. UNC's top scorer opted to play it back to Ally Sentnor, who pivoted and stayed composed, slotting in her third goal of 2022.
Breaking the defense's ankles for the 2-goal lead! 🤯🤯🤯
— UNC Women's Soccer (@uncwomenssoccer) September 17, 2022
📺 https://t.co/KsIKZnVpYF pic.twitter.com/cSvW2vbOd0
Virginia has yet to retake control of this game after short spells of possession in the Tar Heels' half. A quick response is needed or this game could get away from them — quickly.
UNC takes lead through Murphy
14' GOAL: North Carolina 1-0 Virginia. Emily Murphy notches her fourth goal of the season. Avery Patterson initially tested UVA keeper Cayla White, who parried the shot into the path of Murphy just a few yards from goal.
It's the first goal the Hoos have allowed since opening night, over 30 days ago.
Murphy for the early lead!!! 🙌
— UNC Women's Soccer (@uncwomenssoccer) September 17, 2022
📺 https://t.co/KsIKZnVpYF pic.twitter.com/1HMLBns29Z
How to watch North Carolina vs. Virginia on Saturday
- When: 6 p.m. ET
- Where: Dorrance Field in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- How to watch: ACC Network Extra | Streaming link
Previewing UNC vs. Virginia
The ACC is the traditional powerhouse conference in women’s soccer (thanks mostly to Anson Dorrance and the Tar Heels, of course). This season, the conference boasts four teams — North Carolina, No. 3 Duke, No. 6 Notre Dame and Virginia — in the top 10, and that doesn’t even include No. 12 Florida State, the defending national champions.
Avery Patterson leads the Tar Heels with six goals and is supported in attack by Emily Murphy and Tori Dellaperuta, with both totaling three. Outside its 2-1 loss to No. 1 UCLA on Sept. 4, North Carolina has outscored opponents 21-2 this season with double the number of shots and shots on goal.
And yet Virginia’s numbers are better, with 27 goals for and just one against. The Cavaliers haven’t allowed a goal since opening night, a streak of seven consecutive clean sheets. In case you’re curious, that’s nearly 11 hours of soccer in which no one has scored on Virginia.
UVA will look to defeat the Heels for the first time since a first round game in the 2014 ACC tournament. That season finished in the national championship game, where the Cavaliers came up short of the title.