Women's soccer team defeats Virginia Tech at home

Despite youth and the absence of key players due to injury, the No. 8 North Carolina women’s soccer team knows how to win close games. 

With Tar Heel legend Mia Hamm looking on, they proved it again Friday night, beating No. 5 Virginia Tech 3-2 at Fetzer Field. With the win, they improved to 7-2-1 on the season and 4-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Underclassmen scored all three goals for the Tar Heels to extend their winning streak to six.

“We’re 4-0 in the ACC, baby,” coach Anson Dorrance said. “This is an excellent conference so I couldn’t be prouder of these kids.”

Freshman midfielder Megan Buckingham began the scoring early for the Tar Heels. In the fourth minute, Buckingham received a well-placed cross into the box from junior forward Summer Green and finished the open shot with an easy goal from six yards out. Sophomore forward Amber Munerlyn also assisted on the play.

The pace of play continued at a frantic tempo for the remainder of the half, and both teams substituted often. Nearly every time Dorrance made a change to the lineup, Virginia Tech coach Charles "Chugger" Adair countered with a switch of his own. Both teams had numerous opportunities to score, but UNC took advantage.

In the 43rd minute, freshman midfielder Annie Kingman passed the ball to sophomore midfielder Danae O’Halloran. O’Halloran crossed the ball into the box, where sophomore forward Sarah Ashley Firstenberg headed it into the back of the net on a perfectly-timed jump.

“’This is my chance, don’t wanna mess it up,’” Firstenberg said she thought to herself as she launched into the air.

The goal was Firstenberg’s first of her college career and showcased a leaping ability that Dorrance was so impressed with when he first recruited her. 

“The second goal was just out of the ether,” he said.

The Tar Heels continued their scoring tear at the start of the second half against a Hokies team that had only conceded five goals during the season coming into the game.

In the 48th minute, Virginia Tech’s goalkeeper, junior Caroline Kelly, got herself out of position and left the goal open while attempting to defend Munerlyn. Munerlyn then made a simple pass to sophomore midfielder Joanna Boyles, who scored easily by chipping the ball over a couple Hokies defenders.

“(Sophomore midfielder Cameron Castleberry) played a great ball into (Munerlyn) and the goalkeeper came out," Boyles said. "(Munerlyn) took a touch wide and I saw the goalkeeper go wide... If I got it on frame I knew it was going in.”

It ultimately became the game-winning goal.

“I think (Boyles’) choice to try to get something on the frame was great,” Dorrance said. “It was a lucky break for us … but we’ve had some breaks against us ... Maybe this is starting to wash out in our karma."

Virginia Tech battled back in the second half, scoring two quick goals in the 49th and 59th minutes to bring the score within one.

Dorrance attributed the second-half collapse to inexperience. 

“What I told them after the game is there’s nothing wrong with being young, there’s nothing wrong with being inexperienced, but the last thing you want to mix into that is being dumb," he said.

But he added that the Tar Heels are learning how to play aggressively in all circumstances in the absence of team leaders Hanna Gardner, a junior defender, and Brooke Elby, a senior midfielder. Gardner is redshirting after undergoing knee surgery, and Elby is out for the season after sustaining a lower body injury against N.C. State Sept. 28.

Dorrance said the team hopes to dedicate the season to the injured Elby in an attempt to honor what she brings to the program.

"Obviously losing our heart and soul in Brooke Elby — I mean that's a huge loss. That's a girl that could stem the tide of a team that's taking over," Dorrance said. "We just don't have that person with an aggressive personality and with that pace on the field anymore, if you take her out of the mix." 

For now, he'll continue to search for that spark. 

"We need some senior leadership out there telling them 'You know it's not over,' because I think after our third goal the kids out there thought it was over," Dorrance said. "And of course it was not. But again, I couldn't be happier." 

sports@dailytarheel.com