Tar Heels’ Eight-Game Winning Streak Ended By Louisville

Sunday, October 22

Cary, N.C.

10:00 a.m.

North Carolina

12-2-1ACC:7-0-1

Louisville

9-6-2ACC:3-4-2

OT 3

OT 4

Louisville

North Carolina

Sophomore Morgan Goff helped the Tar Heels post their ninth shutout of the season.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

October 22, 2017 | Women's Soccer

Box Score UNC-Louisville Box Score (pdf)Photo Gallery

UNC now 12-2-1 overall, 8-0-1 in the ACC.

By: Dave Lohse

CARY, N.C. – The fifth-ranked University of North Carolina women's soccer team battled to a 0-0 tie with the University of Louisville Sunday morning before 854 fans at WakeMed Soccer Park's Koka Booth Stadium.

The tie stopped an eight-game winning streak by the Tar Heels who are now 12-2-1 on the season and 8-0-1 in the ACC. Louisville now stands 9-6-2 overall and 3-4-2 in the ACC.

Carolina finished with a 19-12 edge in shots and an 11-5 edge in corner kicks but did not break through to score against the Cardinals who are now 1-0-1 all-time in the series against Carolina.

There were only seven shots in the game that were on frame while the two teams combined for 31 total shots. Six Tar Heel shots were on frame, by six different players. Gabrielle Kouzelos made five saves for the Cardinals and a shot by Taylor Otto was saved off the goal line by a Cardinals' defender. Samantha Leshnak of Carolina, who recorded her ninth solo shutout of the year in, was forced to make only one save, that coming on a shot by Allison Whitfield in the 23^rd minute.

Carolina's best chances in the first half came after Otto's shot was saved by a defender at the 31:58 mark. UNC earned two corner kicks over the next minute and had shots in the penalty area by Megan Buckingham and Sydney Spruill blocked.

In the second half, Louisville's Mollie Rouse almost scored on a corner kick that curled into the goal in the 63^rd minute before a Tar Heel defender cleared it off the goal line at the last minute. The Cardinals had another excellent chance to score at 73:50 as T.J. Anderson was free in the right side of the box but her shot from close range bounded off the left post.

Carolina's best chance in the second half came with 1:48 to play as Jessie Scarpa got behind the Louisville defense for a one-on-one chance in the box against Kouzelos only to see the Cardinals' netminder lay out to make a game-saving stop.

UNC dominated the two overtimes both in terms of possession and in terms of statistics as Carolina has five shots in overtime to just one for the Cardinals and the Tar Heels' took all five of overtime's corner kicks. The best chance in overtime came when Kouzelos made a save on a header by Abby Elinsky off a Dorian Bailey corner kick.

North Carolina will return to action on Thursday, October 26 when the Tar Heels play host to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at WakeMed Soccer Park's Koka Booth Stadium. Game time is 6 p.m. The match will be webcast nationally on ACC Network Extra and broadcast locally on WCHL Radio (97.9FM,1360AM).

The game against Notre Dame will mark Senior Day for six Tar Heels who will be playing in their final regular season home game. This group will include defender Maya Worth, midfielder Joanna Boyles, midfielder Frances Reuland, defender Cannon Clough, midfielder/defender Abby Elinsky and midfielder Megan Buckingham.

Notre Dame comes to Cary 9-5-3 overall and 5-3-1 in the ACC and on a two-match winning streak after beating Florida State 4-3 last Thursday and Miami 2-1 Sunday. UNC is 17-7-2 all-time against Notre Dame, splitting two games with the Fighting Irish last season. Notre Dame won the regular-season matchup 1-0 in South Bend, Ind., while UNC rebounded to prevail 2-1 in the ACC Tournament semifinals in Charleston, S.C.