No. 2 UNC women's soccer secures 2-0 victory over Columbia

The No. 2 North Carolina women’s soccer (7-1) got back in the win column following its first loss of the season against Duke on Thursday. The Tar Heels bested the Columbia Lions (0-4-1), 2-0, at Dorrance Field. 

“Today was just about finding a way to grit it out to win,” interim head coach Damon Nahas said, “and they did that, so I’m proud of them.”

North Carolina dominated the possession from the jump, with any chance for Columbia getting quickly shot down by forechecks and sound defensive slides. UNC had its first great scoring chance nine minutes in, when first-year midfielder Linda Ullmark gave an excellent feed to junior forward Kate Faasse, with her chip making it past the Lions’ goalkeeper but trickling just outside the left post. 

While the pressure from the North Carolina offense stayed up early in the first half, there was deja vu from Thursday’s loss against Duke, as UNC simply could not find a breakthrough. First-year forward Bella Gaetino had her free kick blocked and fired the rebound wide in the sixteenth minute, with a crossing ball from senior forward Bella Sember sailing over the heads of her teammates just four minutes later.

In the 24th minute, Ullmark waltzed her way past defenders before dishing it off to Sember, who quickly sent it across the top of the box to Faase. The junior wasted no time, booting a rocket eighteen yards out from the right post that soared past the diving glove of Columbia goalkeeper Lauren Rodriguez, netting the first Tar Heel goal in 146 minutes. 

“This was extremely important, just to end the regular season and go into ACC play now,” Faasse said. “Also, just to bounce back after that tough loss we just had. I think we really needed that to prove to everybody that we’re still in it and that’s not gonna shut us down.”

Faasse stayed hungry, nearly heading in a corner kick just 25 seconds later, but a quick right glove Rodriguez popped it over the net.

Columbia had its first corner kick in the 28th minute, but a slew of blocked shots and crosses led to nothing for the Lions. Two minutes later, Columbia midfielder Sophia Cavaliere kicked a moonshot from right outside the UNC bench, with a diving stop from graduate goalkeeper Clare Gagne denying the highlight reel try.

Scoring chances came late in the half for Ullmark and senior midfielder Makenna Dominguez, but North Carolina headed into halftime up 1-0.

UNC kept up the pressure in the second half, with Dominguez and Sember nearly connecting on a nice give-and-go just three minutes into the half. Dominguez had another chance in the 53rd, with her rip from the corner of the box just barely getting knocked away from the top right corner by Rodriguez.

Four minutes later, Sember danced around the top of the box and slid one towards the bottom left corner, beating the goalkeeper for an unassisted goal that put the Tar Heels up two goals. 

The Lions struggled to find an offensive response; Gange easily handled a Columbia free kick and cross attempt in the 62nd minute.

A falling shot attempt by Cavaliere in the 82nd minute whizzed wide of the far side of the net, and that was as close as the Lions would get to a late-game glimmer of hope. UNC kept its foot on the gas until the final whistle, securing a bounce-back victory on home turf.

“It meant a lot to us to get back out here and win today,” Sember said. “It wasn’t an easy game, and we have some things to work on going into conference [play], and we had some things to work on today, and I’m just really proud of us. The important thing is that we won, and that’s what we did.”

North Carolina returns to Dorrance Field on Thursday when they host the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, with the game kicking off at 7 pm.

@dylanstalterr

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