The North Carolina women's soccer team (19-4-1, 8-2 ACC) defeated top-seeded Notre Dame (17-3-3, 7-2-1 ACC) in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship on Saturday night.
What happened?
The two ACC opponents spent the first 14 minutes of the match feeling each other out. Redshirt first-year forward Ally Sentnor struck first with a shot near the penalty arc that was sent just high of the cross bar. UNC earned two corner kicks in the ensuing action, but neither resulted in a shot on goal.
In the 22nd minute, central defensive midfielder Libby Moore took another deep shot that ricocheted off the crossbar. Sentnor found the rebound several yards out and headed it into the goal for the first crucial score of the game.
The Fighting Irish tried to respond with a counter, but UNC redshirt first-year goalkeeper Emmie Allen saved a header from senior midfielder Maddie Mercado. Notre Dame had another chance at the equalizer in the 31st minute when a missed pass in the UNC backfield gave Olivia Wingate a free look at the goal, but Allen saved the shot over the crossbar.
UNC had a few more chances towards the end of the half, namely two corner kicks in the 42nd and 45th minutes, but the Tar Heels couldn't come away with a second goal. The two teams went into the break with North Carolina leading, 1-0.
The Tar Heels didn't waste any time in the second half, as junior midfielder Talia DellaPeruta took a shot with her right foot from the top of the 18-yard box that nestled itself into the top of the goal in the 47th minute.
After some sporadic shots over the subsequent 15 minutes, Notre Dame earned some chances with two back-to-back corner kicks. The first resulted in a long shot from senior midfielder Korbin Albert that was high, and the second was cleared out with few issues.
Two more corner kicks in the 65th and 79th minutes gave Notre Dame perhaps its best looks yet, but the first was cleared out by UNC senior defender Tori Hansen and the second resulted in a shot by Mercado that was booted over the top.
