In lopsided 3-0 win, UNC women's soccer's defense works to fill a different role

During UNC women's soccer's victory over North Dakota, the defense had to adapt.   

Throughout the lopsided match, the Fighting Hawks positioned all 11 of its players deep in the defensive zone, attempting to keep the Tar Heel's offense from entering the box.

But even with North Dakota's efforts, UNC's defense took a break from sliding tackles and dueling for the ball to breeze right past the Fighting Hawks in a 3-0 win on Thursday at Dorrance Field. To counteract North Dakota's defensive effort, the Tar Heels' defenders worked to take a more active offensive role. During the match, North Carolina had 81 percent of total possession, with 88 percent of that in North Dakota's defensive half of the field.

“They were never going to be under pressure,” interim head coach Damon Nahas said. “So it’s really how efficient can they be? Do they understand where we want them to get the ball and the quality of when they try to do it?” 

On the few occasions when North Dakota got the ball out, first-year defender Bella Gaetino, first-year defender Trinity Armstrong and junior defender Tessa Dellarose were there to regain possession for North Carolina. But for the rest of the game, they assisted the midfield and the forwards in the offensive zone: setting the tempo and sending balls in, helping the midfield push through North Dakota’s low block.  

Gaetino threw the first punch after positioning herself right in front of the goal on a corner kick. The Tar Heel deflected the ball off the North Dakota goaltender. For Gaetino, who plays forward, midfielder and defender, this type of versatility is a normal occurrence for the first-year. 

“I knew coming in that I was going to fill any hole on the field that was open,” Gaetino said. “Learning from my sister, who is a very talented, very awarded center back, I knew I had it in me.” 

Other defenders worked to have the same impact, making sure that they weren't becoming complacent even with the substantial lead. 

Dellarose, who sent in a long cross to assist junior forward Kate Faasse’s goal, said that it can be easy for a defense to slack off when they have extra time, but they need to know what their responsibility is.  

“We have to stay accountable and hold it to our standard,” Dellarose said. “But then on the field, it's just about getting the ball moving quickly and keeping it moving quickly.” 

Nahas talked to his players at half time about their mentality, and he made sure that the defense knew what its job was on the field. 

In games like Thursday's, Nahas explained when the win is hardly in doubt, the goal is utilizing the 90 minutes to get better. For the defense, that means supporting the offense and facilitating ball movement. 

Though the nature of the North Dakota game made it easy to see the impact of the defenders on the scoreboard, the Tar Heel's back line can make a difference in every win. And as North Carolina ventures into its conference schedule next week, the defense will look to remain calm and be there for the teammates in front of them. 

“A lot of how we perform is based on the performance of our center backs and our composure,” Gaetino said. “So [it’s] just being composed and being that outlet."

@BeckettBrant

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com