The North Carolina women’s soccer team is tied 1-1 with Penn State at halftime of the women’s College Cup national championship game.
No. 13 UNC struck first just 1:11 into the match, but the No. 5 Nittany Lions tied the game in the 18th minute.
Just more than a minute in, Satara played a long ball down the middle of the field for Kealia Ohai. Ohai ran the ball down, dribbled across the top of the box, and ripped a shot off the crossbar and in.
But a little less than midway through the half, Penn State got even on a goal by forward Taylor Schram. Christine Nairn fed Schram the ball on the left side of the box, and Schram chipped the ball over goalkeeper Adelaide Gay into the right side of the net.
Each team found space to work with, and each had some good opportunities — the game was more open than UNC’s semifinal against Stanford was in the first half.
The Tar Heels often tried to play long passes from its own end to Ohai down the middle or right side of the field. The first one resulted in a goal, but the Penn State defense did a good job closing down on Ohai after that, although UNC did find some openings.
Before the Nittany Lions tied the game, they missed some open looks in front of the UNC goal. One shot from the top of the box missed slightly high and wide left, and a one-timer sailed just high from the top of the penalty area.
UNC outshot Penn State 9-3 and had a 3-2 edge in shots on goal. Ohai and Schram had the goals, and Murray and Nairn had the assists.
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