UNC women's soccer surrenders two late goals in ACC championship loss

CARY — Florida State was out of its shape. UNC won the ball in FSU’s half. Momentum tilted in North Carolina's direction. 

First-year midfielder Linda Ullmark laid it off for graduate midfielder Aria Nagai, who took a quick look up the pitch and pinged a ball into the open space for senior forward Bella Sember. Junior forward Maddie Dahlien darted forward to provide support. She and Sember exchanged passes on the left wing.

Sember swung in an inch-perfect cross. Junior forward Kate Faasse finished with a perfect header.

Faasse had a first-half brace. The Tar Heels had the lead in the 43rd minute. They were flying.

“The girls came out and really were committed for the entire game right from the start,” interim head coach Damon Nahas said. “They executed what we talked about and then ultimately were really brave out there today.”

But it took just two moments in the second half for it all to come crashing down.

No. 3 seed Florida State defeated No. 4 seed North Carolina, 3-2, Sunday afternoon in the ACC championship game at WakeMed Soccer Park. UNC has now gone five years stuck on 22 ACC titles. The Seminoles have now won five in a row. FSU and UNC have played in three ACC championship games since 2018. Florida State has won all three meetings by one goal.

The Tar Heels led 2-1 on the hour mark before the Seminoles scored twice in the span of five minutes to turn the game on its head.

In the 63rd minute, Ashlyn Puerta entered the game for Florida State before a Seminole throw-in. UNC was pinned back in its own end.

Immediately after the throw, Puerta dribbled into the box on her left foot, and midfielder Tessa Dellarose chopped her down from behind. 

Penalty.

Dellarose fell to her knees, covered her eyes and looked to the sky. She stood and then pulled her jersey up over her face.

“We started off the second half really well,” Nahas said. “And then ball got transitioned. They've got really good players that anytime you enter the box, there’s always a chance of something happening when you have some playmakers. It’s an unfortunate foul in the box.”

ACC tournament MVP Taylor Huff stepped up and dispatched the spot kick past a diving Clare Gagne into the bottom-left corner to level the match.

“The momentum shifted when we gave that penalty kick away,” Nahas said. “You could kind of see a little bit of the mentality drop.”

Just over four minutes later, defender Bella Gaetino dashed forward across the halfway line and gave the ball away. Puerta played Huff into the right channel to start a FSU counter.

Huff played a vertical ball into the box looking for Jordynn Dudley. Gaetino tried to head the ball clear but could not. It looped to Dudley who had gotten position on first-year defender Aven Alvarez. She held the ball up then played a short pass to Wrianna Hudson. Sophomore midfielder Evelyn Shores was late coming over, and Hudson directed a one touch shot toward the goal. UNC's graduate goalkeeper got a fingertip on the shot but couldn’t keep it out.

Shores put both hands on her head.

“And then that’s the game,” Nahas said.

The Tar Heels had a few half chances in the last 20 minutes but couldn't find the equalizer. 

Following the final whistle, Dellarose sat on the pitch. Again, she covered her eyes.

“They found two goals in the second half, and we didn’t,” Nahas said. “It wasn’t a lack of effort or mentality. Today just wasn’t our day.”

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