After ACC championship loss, UNC women's soccer rebounds in first round of NCAA tournament

'Twas the night before the NCAA tournament. 

The North Carolina women’s soccer team held a players-only meeting in the locker room. It's a long-standing tradition embedded in the historic program.

Part of the tradition is the lighting of candles. Each player has their own. During the ceremony, the Tar Heels talked about how much the team means to them. They looked back on the season that has been — good memories and proud moments — and what could be in the tournament.

“We know that we only have the maximum of six games left and three games at home,” midfielder Bella Sember said. “That means a lot to me as a senior also because every game could be my last. So just fighting for one more week together, one more game together, one more training session together and not taking anything for granted because everything in the tournament means everything.”

UNC emerged from the candlelit gathering inspired on Friday night. The No. 2-seeded Tar Heels defeated USC Upstate, 8-0, in round one of the NCAA tournament at Dorrance Field. Junior forward Kate Faasse and first-year forward Linda Ullmark both scored a brace, while Sember added a goal and an assist. The margin matches the largest in program history in the opening round of the tournament — when the Tar Heels defeated High Point, 8-0, in 2003.

North Carolina is now 25-1 in the first round of the NCAA tournament, outscoring opponents 110-6.

After a 3-2 defeat in last Sunday’s ACC championship against Florida State, interim head coach Damon Nahas gave his players space to heal. He told them to do what they needed to do and to come in the next day for the Selection Show with the result behind them.

“They knew that we took a big step forward in that championship game,” Nahas said. “It was in our grasp, but it wasn’t meant to be. So their attitudes have been wonderful.”

Seven Tar Heels including Sember and Faasse had been in the exact same position before. In 2022, UNC beat Duke in the ACC semifinals and then lost to FSU in the championship, just like this year. 

In 2022, North Carolina had its revenge on Florida State in the College Cup and made it all the way to the national championship game.

“We know that it doesn’t matter what you do in the past,” Sember said. “It just matters what you do from now.”

The Tar Heels watched the Selection Show together on Monday and heard their name called as a No. 2 seed. They saw the Seminoles as the one seed in their quadrant of the bracket.

North Carolina ranked second in the NCAA RPI. The first, third, fourth and fifth ranked teams all received one seeds.

“The Selection Show just put a chip on our shoulder,” Faasse said.

The week leading up to the first round of the NCAA tournament was no different than any other. Nahas said his team treated USC Upstate like it did the ACC championship. Nothing changed tactically. The Tar Heels went over some basics as a reminder of their identity. 

The theme of the week was habits.

“Having appropriate habits at this time of year to give ourselves the best chance to compete and win so we have no regrets” Nahas said. “If it ends up being our day, we’ll feel really proud of it. If it’s not, we’ll have no regrets.”

Then came the meeting on Thursday night. It served as a reminder of what they are playing for. A 23rd national title and the first since 2012.

But Faasse said it’s bigger than that. It’s also who they are playing for. Each other.

“Laying everything on the line, putting our bodies on the line, whatever it takes to win that game,” Faasse said with an ice pack taped to her left arm.

“Because it could be our last.”

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com