'Finding a way to win': UNC women's soccer secures gritty victory against Wake Forest

Somehow, Wake Forest did not score. Somehow, North Carolina won the match. And sometimes, you just have to win ugly.

“Today was about finding a way to win,” interim head coach Damon Nahas said. “And they did. That’s going to serve us well.”

No. 10 North Carolina defeated Wake Forest 1-0 Thursday night at Dorrance Field. The Demon Deacons outshot UNC 9-3. The Tar Heels did not record their second shot of the match until the 65th minute and did not earn a single corner over the entire 90 minutes. The three total shots is the least the Tar Heels have recorded in a win in program history. At the very least, it's uncharacteristic of the UNC women's soccer program. 

Yet somehow, North Carolina found a way. 

Nahas said it was a full-team effort. His young team — which featured 11 new starters on Thursday who combined to start only four games last season — grew up against a talented and experienced ACC opponent.

“Today was a game of being uncomfortable,” Nahas said. “You need a test of character — of mentality.”

And the Tar Heels passed that test. 

Wake Forest started on the front foot in the first half. UNC struggled to get out of its own end and looked uncomfortable on the ball. In the fourth minute, former Tar Heel Emily Colton grazed the crossbar from distance. Then, in the seventh minute, Colton found space in the six-yard box, but her shot was deflected wide.

Three first-year defenders, Trinity Armstrong, Aven Alvarez and Bella Gaetino, lead the North Carolina back line. Gaetino isn’t even a center back. She’s a converted forward.

“Even though we’re young, I feel like we have the IQ,” Alvarez said. “We have the ability to work together and work hard so we can stay connected as a backline.”

UNC fought through the hard moments and found the breakthrough against the run of play in the 27th minute. Senior forward Makenna Dominguez won the ball high up the pitch and immediately pinged a pass over the top for junior forward Kate Faasse, who finished well from an awkward angle.

Then the task became seeing the game out, which has been a struggle for UNC over the past few seasons. Last year in the NCAA tournament against BYU, the Tar Heels led 3-0 late but crumbled to lose 4-3. In this year’s season opener against Denver in August, they took a 2-1 lead with 28 minutes to go. Nahas said he made a point to make sure every player who was a part of the collapse in Provo last year was on the pitch to hold the lead against Denver, and North Carolina secured the 2-1 victory.

Leaning on that experience in Denver, UNC was better in possession in the second half against Wake Forest and did not allow the Demon Deacons to find as much joy in the final third.

The Tar Heels saw out another game. They haven’t lost a match this season in which they led.

“Everyone’s giving everything they have,” Faasse said. “Everyone’s doing the little things right. ‘One goes, we all go’ is our motto right now.”

Somehow, the Tar Heels, with injuries, players away and a new coach, keep winning. They have stayed together.

“We’ve been tested in every respect this year from before we even started,” Nahas said. “I give credit to all these girls. I don’t know how many teams would be able to handle how they’ve handled this entire season.”

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com