University of North Carolina Athletics
1997 Season Review & Notes
June 21, 1999 | Women's Soccer
October 1, 1998
There was many a prognosticator in the summer of 1997 who was predicting the demise of the North Carolina women's soccer dynasty during that coming fall's campaign. Now, these people wouldn't say this publicly of course. But in hushed tones it was whispered that Notre Dame had really, finally caught up with North Carolina in all aspects of the game, particularly recruiting. And with North Carolina having lost six valuable seniors off its 1996 team, the Tar Heels were going to be hard pressed to repeat its somewhat annual national championship celebration last fall.
Despite the murmurings, it still wasn't politically correct to knock Coach Anson Dorrance's from the top spot in the polls. After all, the Tar Heels had won the national championship in 1996 and they probably deserved the top spot in all the pre-season polls in 1997. And they would certainly stay there until someone knocked them off.
No one ever did.
Notre Dame came the closest. The Tar Heels and the Fighting Irish battled to a 2-2 tie on Notre Dame's home field in South Bend, Ind. on September 19, 1997. The match was called because of lightning in the 72nd minute of play. So the mystery of whether the Fighting Irish were good enough to defeat the Tar Heels last season will always be speculation.
After the tie with Notre Dame, all Carolina did was go out and win 21 successive games, culminating in a 2-0 victory over Connecticut on December 7, 1997 in the NCAA championship game at Greensboro, N.C. It was UNC's 15th national championship in women's soccer in the past 17 years. As Sonny and Cher once sang, "And the Beat Goes On!"
And so it was for North Carolina women's soccer in 1997. Another national championship. Ho Hum you say! Certainly not to Anson Dorrance.
"I am so happy right now," said Dorrance after Carolina's win over UConn in the NCAA championship contest. "The whole fall has been a joy ride. This group bonded so quickly and so successfully from the first day of practice in August that it was overwhelmingly positive. I didn't suffer from stress at all this season. It was a wonderful season."
I would hope so. The Tar Heels posted a 27-0-1 record during 1997 and in the process set a school and NCAA record for victories in a season. Besides winning their 15th national title in the past 17 years, the Tar Heels also continued their domination of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Carolina won its ninth straight ACC Tournament championship and its ninth ACC regular-season title in the past 11 years. Carolina improved its all-time ACC regular-season record to 50-1-1, its all-time ACC Tournament record to 23-0-1 and its all-time NCAA Tournament mark to 52-2-0 at the conclusion of the 1997 campaign.
The numbers are literally staggering. On October 3 of last season, Carolina presented Dorrance with his 400th career win, a 6-0 pasting of Alabama at Durham, N.C. By the end of the season, Dorrance's career mark stood at 417-16-11 in 19 seasons as the head coach at UNC.
The Tar Heels had their share of close shaves in 1997. Besides the tie with Notre Dame, Carolina escaped three games in which they trailed at half-time and three more in which they were tied at the break. UNC had to score late second half goals to beat both Florida and Texas A&M during the regular season and Santa Clara challenged the Tar Heels with a spectacular effort of its own in the NCAA semifinals at Greensboro, N.C., leading Carolina 1-0 before faltering in the second half under a withering onslaught by the suddenly inspired Tar Heels, who prevailed 2-1.
Through it all, Dorrance was blessed with a team that wasn't weak in any particular phase of the game. The offense was led by a trio of dynamic All-America players in forwards Robin Confer and Cindy Parlow and midfielder Laurie Schwoy. Confer led the team in goals with 20, in assists with 22, in points with 62 and in game-winning goals with seven. She was named the National Player of the Year by Soccer News magazine and Soccer Buzz internet service. Parlow's dominating presence and her skill as the best defensive-minded forward in the game earned her the Hermann Trophy, the Missouri Athletic Club Sports Foundation Player of the Year award and National Player of the Year honors from Soccer Times. Parlow scored the game-winning goal in the national championship game against Connecticut. And the bad news for Tar Heel opponents is that she is only a junior.
Despite being sidelined the last third of the Tar Heels' season with a hamstring injury, Schwoy, a sophomore, was the dominant player in Carolina's midfield. She had 13 goals and 10 assists and was second on the squad in game-winning goals with six. She combined with senior Aubrey Falk, junior Tiffany Roberts and sophomores Rebekah McDowell and Lindsay Stoecker, the team's two most improved players to form a dominant midfield unit.
Dorrance supplemented the two-headed monster of Parlow and Confer up front by sending waves of young, fast, healthy women into the game to back them up. Junior Rakel Karvelsson, sophomore Helen Lawler and freshmen Raven McDonald, Meredith Florance and Amy Whittier were all up to the task on a regular basis. McDonald was clearly the team's most underrated player. The Benson, N.C. native finished as the team's fourth-leading scorer with 31 points.
And then there was the defense. Dorrance called it one of the two best defenses to ever play at the University, equaled only by the 1987 NCAA championship team which allowed only two goals to be scored upon it all season. Against better competition and in more games, this team put up similar numbers. In 28 games, UNC allowed only 95 shots on goal, an average of 3.4 shots per game. By comparison, UNC scored 117 goals in 1997, an average of 4.2 per contest. Carolina allowed eight goals on the season. They had 138 assists to their opponents' five. The team's 22 shutouts tied the school record for blankings in a season.
The defense was spearheaded by seniors Nel Fettig and Staci Wilson, remarkable sophomore talent Lorrie Fair and junior goalkeeper Siri Mullinix, who was named the defensive Most Valuable Player of the NCAA Final Four.
Wilson and Fettig in particular have been such important players over the past four years for Carolina, leading the team to three NCAA titles and four ACC crowns. They will be sorely missed in 1998.
Wilson, who had experienced both emotional ups and downs during her time at Carolina, was especially moved by the effort which won the championship in 1997. "I would definitely say this is the most special one that I have been involved in, and it was also the most emotional," Wilson said as she sat at the podium for the post-game new conference with the NCAA trophy resting inches from her feet after UNC beat Connecticut. "I just don't want the moment to end right now. I am thinking about all we put in throughout the season, and about how sad I am that this is my last college game."
Maybe the greatest compliment to this North Carolina team was paid by Connecticut star Sara Whalen, who almost single-handedly defeated Notre Dame 2-1 in the NCAA semifinals, thus denying the media and the fans the sought-after NCAA title matchup that everyone was craving--Carolina vs. Notre Dame.
Despite being outshot by the Fighting Irish 28-6, the Huskies had defeated Notre Dame 2-1 on Whalen's two goals. She had hoped to repeat her success against Carolina in the national final two days later but she was denied. When asked in the post-game whether Carolina's perennial first-place status was hard for its opponents to overcome, Whalen said, "Obviously there is some kind of intimidating factor that comes into play when a team goes into the finals against North Carolina. The fact they have lost in four times in a span of 295 games since 1986 and won so many national championships is mind boggling.
"I think there might be teams out there who might be more skilled or more tactical, but when it comes down to the final game, I think mentally North Carolina will have a mental edge over any team. And having a mental edge over a team can put you on top right from the start."
Already one national publication is plugging Santa Clara for the 1998 national championship. The Broncos have the best incoming freshman class and returns the core of their team which gave UNC fits in the 1997 semifinals.
That's fine. We all know the dynasty has to come to an end sometime. Maybe 1998 will be that year. Maybe.
1997 University of North Carolina Women's Soccer Season Review Notes
52 NCAA TOURNAMENT WINS: North Carolina won its 52nd NCAA Tournament game in history when it defeated Connecticut 2-0 in the 1997 NCAA championship match.
Carolina's only losses in NCAA Tournament play have been to George Mason 2-0 in the 1985 finals at Fairfax, Va. and to Notre Dame 1-0 in the 1995 semifinals at Chapel Hill, N.C.
CAROLINA VERSUS THE NCAA FIELD: North Carolina played 18 of its 28 matches last season against teams which made the 1997 NCAA Tournament field.
UNC was an impressive 17-0-1 in those 18 games.
HEELS RECORD SCHOOL RECORD 27 WINS: North Carolina broke the school record for victories in a season last year. Carolina finished 27-0-1 last season.
The old school record for victories in a season was 25 shared by the 1992, 1994, 1995 and 1996 teams.
22 SHUTOUTS TIES SCHOOL AND NCAA RECORD: North Carolina recorded 22 shutouts during the 1997 season in its 28 games played.
That tied the school and NCAA records for shutouts in a season is 22 by the 1987 squad.
CAROLINA BREAKS SCHOOL RECORD FOR ASSISTS: UNC established a new school record for assists in a season during the 1997 campaign. UNC has totaled 138 assists on 117 goals.
The old school record for assists in a season was 130 by the 1981 team. The 1981 squad set the school record for goals in a season with 172 tallies.
KARVELSSON TALLIES UNC'S 2,000TH GOAL: Carolina junior forward Rakel Karvelsson scored the 2,000th goal in North Carolina women's soccer history on November 21, 1997 when North Carolina defeated Florida 5-0 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Karvlesson's goal was scored with 4:18 left in the first half and it gave Carolina a 5-0 lead over the Gators.
UNC has now outscored its opponents 2005-196 in school history in 444 games.
WILSON TIES SCHOOL RECORD: Tar Heel senior defender Staci Wilson tied the school record for career games started last year with 96. Debbie Keller (1993-96) also started 96 games in her Carolina career.
The NCAA record for career games started is 100 held by Notre Dame senior Holly Manthei (1994-97).
MORE SCHOOL RECORDS FELL IN 1997: Nine Tar Heel players broke the school record for games played in a season last season. This group included Robin Confer, Raven McDonald, Tiffany Roberts, Meredith Florance, Lorrie Fair, Rebekah McDowell, Lindsay Stoecker, Staci Wilson and Aubrey Falk. All played in 28 matchs during the 1997 season.
Tisha Venturini, Debbie Keller, Robin Confer, Danielle Egan, Angela Kelly, Keri Sanchez, Roz Santana and Nel Fettig held the previous record for games played in a season, all having played in 27 matches during the 1994 season.
AND YET MORE MARKS...: Six UNC players broke the University record for games started in a season in 1997.
Robin Confer, Tiffany Roberts, Lorrie Fair, Rebekah McDowell, Staci Wilson and Aubrey Falk have started 28 matches last season.
The school record for matches started in a season was 27 held by Tisha Venturini, Debbie Keller, Danielle Egan, Angela Kelly and Keri Sanchez in 1994.
UNC WINS NINTH STRAIGHT ACC TITLE: With a 4-0 victory over #18 Maryland in the ACC Tournament championship game on November 9, 1997, North Carolina's women's soccer team claimed its ninth successive ACC championship and its 10th conference title overall. UNC has won 10 of the 11 ACC women's soccer championships contested, failing only in 1988 when N.C. State claimed the crown on penalty kicks after a 1-1 overtime tie with the Tar Heels.
PARLOW TAPPED FOR TOURNAMENT MVP HONORS: Junior forward Cindy Parlow (Memphis, Tenn.) was magnificent in UNC's run to the 1997 ACC championship and in the process was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1997 ACC Tournament.
Whether playing at right wing forward or attacking center midfielder, Parlow was the dominant force in the tournament. She scored in all three games for the Tar Heels, including a game-tying goal in the second half of a 3-1 semifinal win over Clemson.
Parlow came back in the championship game to score one goal and add one assist in UNC's 4-0 win over Maryland.
FOUR TAR HEELS ON ALL-ACC TOURNAMENT TEAM: Carolina had a total of four players named to the All-Tournament Team at the 1997 ACC Tournament.
Besides tournament MVP Cindy Parlow, other Tar Heels on the all-tourney squad were senior defender Staci Wilson, junior midfielder Tiffany Roberts and sophomore midfielder Rebekah McDowell.
CAROLINA DOMINATES ALL-ACC TEAM: The University of North Carolina's dominance of Atlantic Coast Conference women's soccer again reaped dividends when the 1997 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Soccer Team was announced.
UNC earned seven of the 22 selections, including six of the 11 spots on the first team. Duke and Clemson each had four players on the teams, Virginia and Maryland three each and Wake Forest one. Both N.C. State and Florida State were shut out in the voting.
The first team consisted of six UNC players, three from Virginia and one each from Clemson and Duke.
Carolina's first-team selections were senior forward Robin Confer, junior forward Cindy Parlow, junior midfielder Tiffany Roberts, sophomore midfielder Laurie Schwoy, sophomore defender Lorrie Fair and senior defender Nel Fettig.
Senior defender Staci Wilson was named second-team All-ACC.
CONFER BREAKS NCAA RECORD FOR GAMES PLAYED AGAINST WAKE FOREST: Carolina senior forward Robin Confer (Clearwater, Fla.) broke an NCAA record November 15, 1997 when she stepped on the field to play against Wake Forest.
Confer appeared in her 103rd career match, which was a new NCAA, ACC and school record for games played in a career.
Confer finished her career having played in 107 career games.
The old school, NCAA and ACC record for games played in a career was 102 held by UNC's Debbie Keller (1993-96).
CONFER BECOMES FIRST COLLEGIATE SOCCER PLAYER TO PLAY IN 100 WINS : When Carolina senior forward Robin Confer played in UNC's 1-0 win over Harvard in the NCAA quarterfinals, she became the first collegiate women's soccer player to ever play in 100 career victories.
In the 107 games Confer played in her career, Carolina was 102-3-2. During her career, Confer's only non-winning outings were two losses to Notre Dame, one loss to Duke and two ties with Notre Dame.
PARLOW ASSIST RECORD: When Tar Heel senior forward Cindy Parlow was credited with four assists in last year's 6-0 first-round NCAA win over Wake Forest, she set a new NCAA record for assists in a game by a player.
The old record was three in a game shared by five different players.
TAR HEEL GOALS VERSUS OPPONENT SHOTS: In 28 games last season, UNC scored 117 goals. By contrast, UNC opponents took 95 shots in those 28 games, scoring only eight times.
GOALS, GOALS, GOALS: In 444 games in its illustrious soccer history, Carolina has outscored its opponents by 1,809 goals. UNC has scored 2,005 goals in its history while allowing 196, a margin of 1,807.
UNC has averaged 4.52 goals per game in its history, while allowing its opponents 0.44 goals per contest, a margin of 4.08 goals per game.
CONFER'S & PARLOW'S ASSISTS IN 1997: Senior forward Robin Confer finished the 1997 season with 22 assists while junior forward Cindy Parlow had 18 assists. Confer's total was the fourth-highest in a single season in UNC women's soccer history. Mia Hamm set the school record with 33 assists in 1992, while Pam Kalinoski had 28 assists in 1991 and Marcia McDermott had 23 assists in 1986.
Parlow's total of 18 assists equaled the seventh most assists in a season in UNC history. Shannon Higgins in 1989, Emily Pickering in 1981, Tisha Venturini in 1992 and Robin Confer in 1995 also had 18 assists in a single season.
PARLOW NAMED ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK OCTOBER 13: North Carolina junior forward Cindy Parlow (Memphis, Tenn.) was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Soccer Player of the Week on October 13, 1997.
Parlow had a goal and an assist in North Carolina's 4-0 victory over #19 Maryland on October 10, 1997. Parlow assisted on Laurie Schwoy's game-winning goal in the first half and then she scored the first goal of the second half to boost the Tar Heels to a 2-0 lead over the Terps. UNC went on to win 4-0.
CONFER NAMED ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK OCTOBER 27: North Carolina's Robin Confer was tabbed league Player of the Week in women's soccer after leading the Tar Heels to a perfect record in ACC play for the week ending Sunday, October 26.
Confer scored four goals in two ACC wins for the #1-ranked Tar Heels. The Clearwater, Fla. senior forward scored one goal (the game-winner) in North Carolina's 2-0 win against Wake Forest on October 22. Confer came back on October 26 to record a hat trick in the team's 4-0 win at Clemson. She scored all three of her goals in the first 31:42 of play against the Tigers, including her second game-winning tally of the week.
WILSON NAMED ACC CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOVEMBER 3: North Carolina's Staci Wilson (Herndon, Va.) was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Co-Player of the Week after pacing the Tar Heels to two victories the week that ended November 2, 1997.
Wilson scored two goals in two matches to help lead the Tar Heels to their third straight ACC regular season title. The senior defender scored in the 19th minute of play to help UNC win at #9 Duke 3-2 . She scored the game-winning goal as the Tar Heels defeated #8 Virginia 3-0 in Charlottesville.
CAROLINA PLAYERS ON SOCCER AMERICA TEAM OF THE WEEK: Carolina had a multitude of players named to Soccer America's National Women's Teams of the Week during the 1997 season.
On September 15, UNC sophomore midfielder Laurie Schwoy made the squad after being named the Most Valuable Player of the adidas/Eurosport Carolina Classic after UNC wins over Virginia Commonwealth and #25 Wisconsin.
Sophomore defender Lorrie Fair was selected to the team on September 22 after she was named the defensive Most Valuable Player of the adidas/Lady Footlocker Classic at Notre Dame.
On September 29, Fair and freshman forward Raven McDonald were named to the team of the week after UNC swept two matches in the Challenge Classic Tournament in Houston.
On October 13, Schwoy made the Team of the week for the second time last season.
On October 20, McDonald appeared on the Soccer America Team of the Week for the second time last season after she scored a goal and had two assists in Carolina's 3-0 win over seventh-ranked Santa Clara.
Tar Heel senior forward Robin Confer made the Soccer America Team of the Week on October 27 of last season.
The SA Collegiate Team of the Week for November 3 included senior defender Staci Wilson. Wilson was named to the team after scoring a key goal in UNC's win over Duke and then hitting the game-winner in the Tar Heels' 3-0 whitewashing of Virginia.
The last Socer America Women's Collegiate Team of the Week included two Tar Heels on November 10. Junior midfielder Tiffany Roberts made the team for the first time last year after scoring two goals in the ACC final versus Maryland. Junior forward Cindy Parlow also made the team for the first time in 1997 after netting a goal and an assist in the ACC final versus Maryland and being named the Most Valuable Player of the 1997 ACC Women's Soccer Tournament.
CONFER SHATTERS SCHOOL RECORD FOR GAME-WINNING TALLIES: North Carolina senior forward Robin Confer (Clearwater, Fla.) broke the school record for career game-winning goals November 15 in UNC's 6-0 NCAA first-round win over Wake Forest.
Confer totaled 27 game-winning goals in her career including two in 1994, 11 in 1995, seven in 1996 and seven in 1997. Those 27 game-winning goals are two more than the previous UNC career record held by April Heinrichs, who also had 25 from 1983-86, and Mia Hamm, who had 25 from 1989-93.
The 11 game-winning goals scored by Confer in 1995 is a school record. The old record was 10 set initially by April Heinrichs in 1986.
CAROLINA IN THE POLLS: To no one's great surprise, the Tar Heels were the top-ranked team in all five major national polls at the end of last season. In fact, Carolina was ranked #1 in every pre-season and regular-season poll during the 1997 season.
Carolina was ranked #1 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Umbro Select, by Soccer News magazine, by Soccer America magazine, by Soccer Buzz internet magazine and by SoccerTimes/USA Today Online internet magazine.
CAROLINA'S RIGOROUS SCHEDULE: Annually, Carolina plays what is the toughest schedule in all of women's soccer. That was certainly the case again during the 1997 season. Of Carolina's 28 games last season, 16 were played against teams ranked in the Top 25 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Umbro Select at the time UNC played them.
Those opponents included #17 Florida on August 29, #25 Wisconsin on September 14, #2 Notre Dame on September 19, #6 Portland on September 21, #4 Texas A&M on September 28, #19 Maryland on October 10, #7 Santa Clara on October 19, #20 Clemson on October 26, #9 Duke on October 30, #8 Virginia on November 2, #12 Clemson on November 7, #18 Maryland on November 9, #9 Florida on November 21, #17 Harvard on November 29, #3 Santa Clara on December 5 and #5 Connecticut on December 7.
TAR HEELS ON THE UNDER 20 NATIONAL TEAM: Carolina had eight players compete in the summer of 1997 on the U.S. Under-20 Women's National Team which won the world championship in the Nordic Cup in Denmark.
In round robin play in the tournament, the U.S. defeated Sweden 3-0, Iceland 4-0 and Denmark 3-1 before defeating Norway 1-0 in overtime in the gold medal match.
Tar Heels who competed on that team included sophomore defender Lorrie Fair (Los Altos, Calif.), sophomore midfielder Tiffany Roberts (San Ramon, Calif.), senior forward Robin Confer (Clearwater, Fla.), sophomore midfielder Laurie Schwoy (Baltimore, Md.), junior forward Cindy Parlow (Memphis, Tenn.), sophomore midfielder Rebekah McDowell (Lakewood, Colo.), freshman forward Meredith Florance (Dallas, Texas) and junior goalkeeper Siri Mullinix (Greensboro, N.C.).
THE TAR HEELS IN THE 1990S: Carolina has the best winning percentage and the most total wins in the decade of the 1990s in collegiate women's soccer.
Since the beginning of the 1990 campaign, UNC has a record of 194-4-3. Notre Dame ranks second in total wins in that time with a record of 154-19-9.
The Tar Heels also have a winning percentage of .973 in the past eight years. Notre Dame is second with a winning percentage of .871.
THE ATTENDANCE LEADERS: North Carolina led the nation in average home attendance each of the past three years with averages of 2,201 in 1995, 2,343 in 1996 and 2,401 in 1997.
In 1995, Carolina led the nation in average home attendance and was second nationally in total home attendance. In 1996, the Tar Heels led the nation in both average (2,343) and total (23,432) home attendance. During the 1997 season, UNC was #1 nationally in average home attendance and #1 in total home attendance.
THE DORRANCE LEDGER: Tar Heel head coach Anson Dorrance founded the Carolina women's soccer program in the fall of 1979. In the 19 years of the program's existence, UNC has posted a record 417-16-11, a winning percentage of .952.
THE LAST 12 SEASONS: In the last 12 years of women's soccer at Carolina, beginning with the 1986 season opener, UNC is 283-4-9, a winning percentage of .971. Over the last 12 years, UNC has had a 92-game winning streak, a 101-game unbeaten streak and a 103-game unbeaten streak.
Carolina ended the 1997 season with a 45-game unbeaten streak. The Tar Heels were 44-0-1 in their last 45 games dating back to a 2-1 overtime loss to Notre Dame on October 4, 1996.
THE CURRENT UNBEATEN STREAK: Carolina currently has a 45-game unbeaten streak dating back to a 2-1 loss on October 4, 1996 to Notre Dame in overtime. The Tar Heels are 44-0-1 over their last 45 matches.
Carolina's 44-match unbeaten streak is the longest for Carolina since a 101-match unbeaten streak that began with a 3-0 win over Brown at Providence, R.I. on September 23, 1990. That streak was ended by Duke on October 19, 1994 in a 3-2 Blue Devil triumph at Chapel Hill.
THE HOME RECORD: Carolina has an all-time home record of 179-6-2 in games in Chapel Hill. That's a winning percentage of .963.
Carolina's only two home losses since the 1980 season have been to Duke in 1994 and to Notre Dame in 1995. UNC also tied George Mason at home in 1985 and Central Florida in 1986.
Carolina also lost two games at home in 1979 to the McLean Grasshoppers and two in 1980 at home to Virginia Select.
Since the inception of the program in 1979, Carolina has played only 42.2 percent of its matches at home.
