No. 2-seeded UNC women's soccer survives No. 4-seeded Penn State, 2-1, in overtime to advance to the College Cup

The No. 2-seeded UNC women’s soccer team (20-5, 7-3 ACC) defeated No. 4-seeded Penn State (15-7-3, 5-4-2 Big Ten), 2-1, in overtime on Friday night to advance to the semifinals of the NCAA tournament. 

After going down in the first half, the Tar Heels rallied back to tie it and force overtime. Then, junior midfielder Kate Faasse scored her team-leading 19th goal to end the game and send UNC to the next round. 

“We deserved to win against a really, really good team and a good staff,” interim head coach Damon Nahas said. “I’m just proud.”

North Carolina gained early possession of the ball. In the second minute, junior forward Maddie Dahlien redirected a long, arching cross near the left post, but the ball soared over the goal. 

After several minutes of UNC possession, Penn State managed to take control of the ball and push down the field. First-year defender Bella Gaetino fouled in transition. On the resulting free kick, graduate goalkeeper Clare Gagne saved a shot at the crossbar. 

But a few minutes later, Penn State capitalized off of a breakaway. Midfielder Katie Scott ran down the field with redshirt junior defender Emerson Elgin on her heels. Scott handled a long pass from midfield at the top of the box, took a few steps and launched the ball into the back left corner of the goal. 

North Carolina's best opportunity in the first half came in the 31st minute. First-year midfielder Linda Ullmark took a running shot from the right side, forcing the Penn State goalkeeper to dive and deflect it. 

Penn State almost doubled their lead after Gagne left the goal wide open, but the short goal was ruled offside.  

UNC had another good chance when junior defender Tessa Dellarose got the ball after a free kick and took a hard shot from the top of the box. It clanged off the right goalpost. 

North Carolina tripled Penn State in total shots in the first half, 18-6,  but both teams recorded four shots on goal.  

The Tar Heels didn’t waste any time in the second half. Just over three minutes into the half, graduate midfielder Aria Nagai found Gaetino alone at the top of the box. Gaetino curved the ball off her left foot, in between the goal keeper and the left goalpost, to even the score. 

“I think anyone knows that anyone could step up in a big moment,” Faasse said. “Bella Gaetino, our right back, who’s not even a right back, taking that shot to keep us in the game, we’re not here without her, we’re not making it to overtime without her, we just have so much belief in every single person."

Penn State struggled to maintain offensive possession. Nagai was issued a yellow card in the 63rd minute, but the Nittany Lions didn’t find anything on the subsequent free kick and corner kick. 

North Carolina had several chances in the second half, including a header from Faasse that went just high. While the Tar Heels couldn’t break the tie, they held Penn State to zero shots on goal in the second to force sudden-death overtime. 

With just over three minutes remaining in overtime and after dominating possession, UNC earned a corner kick. Dellarose took the corner, curving the ball towards the far side of the goal, where Faasse jumped up and headed the ball into the back left corner to win the game. 

“I have to give credit to Trinity [Armstrong], she told me to go over and kick it,” Dellarose said. “At that point, I was just trying to get in my best service, give us a chance and Kate, she’s right where she needs to be all the time.”

The Tar Heels will play either Duke or Virginia Tech on December 6 for a chance to advance to the NCAA tournament final. 

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