Virginia women’s soccer beats UNC for first time in 25 years

For 25 years the plot hadn’t changed.

Not once had the Virginia women’s soccer team defeated North Carolina. And as the teams entered double overtime scoreless on Sunday, history was undoubtedly on UNC’s side.

But with one kick, Caroline Miller took Virginia off script.

In the 105th minute, the Virginia forward corralled a through ball, weaved through the UNC defense and laced the ball inside the left goal post, marking the end of UNC’s (6-2, 1-1 ACC) dominant run against the Cavaliers as she netted her team a 1-0 victory.

“Obviously we’re disappointed,” coach Anson Dorrance said. “But honestly I don’t think we played with a passion that could’ve given us the victory. We came out flat … We’ve got to get back to work and see if we can regain a passion to play.”

The game almost ended twice during the first round of golden-goal overtime, as both teams delivered what appeared to be game-winning shots.

In the 94th minute, Virginia forward Gloria Douglas found herself free within the Tar Heel box, but as she unleashed the shot, UNC goalkeeper Anna Sieloff moved up in the box, diving to keep the ball from reaching the back of the net.

Five minutes later, UNC’s Emmalie Pfankuch took a stab at goal in what was perhaps the Tar Heels’ greatest opportunity to score. But as she whipped the shot to the far post, Virginia’s Chantel Jones leaped and caught the ball for a game-saving stop.

Despite coming into the game ranked first and second respectively in the ACC in goals per game, neither UNC nor Virginia could get much going offensively.

“At least for the starting frontline, this is me included, we’re pretty frustrated,” said senior forward Courtney Jones, who took five shots on Sunday. “We haven’t been putting as many balls in the back of the net as we would want.

“It’s a confidence issue as of now, thinking that we can’t do it. And I have that same exact problem. We’re hoping to fix that.”

UNC’s offensive woes on Sunday could be partly attributed to Virginia’s 5-foot-11 goalkeeper Jones, who is tied for third all-time in the NCAA in shutouts with 38 and is the current UVa. record holder.

Jones only collected two saves in the game, as only two of the Tar Heel’s 11 shots were on goal, but the keeper managed to kill several rallies by intercepting crosses.

“I think she’s a great keeper,” Courtney Jones said. “I don’t think she was intimidating, but I definitely have a lot of respect for her. She came off of her line, and her range is incredible. The keepers in the ACC are carrying their teams.”

Briefly, it looked as though UNC goalkeeper Sieloff would carry the Tar Heels to victory — or at least a tie — as her save in the first overtime kept UNC alive. But ultimately the Tar Heels were doomed by their flatness on the field.

“We’ve been having a problem even within the past couple of games just coming out slow,” Sieloff said. “We’ve kind of let the teams take it to us. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes a goal to get scored upon us for us to wake up.”

On Sunday, that wake-up call came too late.

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