University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
UCLA
Tar Heels Are Champions Once Again
December 3, 2000 | Women's Soccer
Dec. 3, 2000
SAN JOSE, CALIF. - For the 16th time in the last 19 years the North Carolina women's soccer team reigns above the world of collegiate soccer. Coach Anson Dorrance's charges won their 16th NCAA championship Sunday afternoon at San Jose State's Spartan Stadium, coming from beind to beat sixth-seeded UCLA 2-1.
It was Carolina's third 2-1 comeback victory in the last four games as the Tar Heels scored their sixth come-from-behind win of the season. Ironically, it was an own goal in the game's 83rd minute of play which decided the contest between the tournament experienced Tar Heels, making their 19th straight NCAA Final Four appearance and newcomer UCLA, which was in the Final Four for the first time.
Just as in Friday night's 2-1 win over top-seeded Notre Dame, the Tar Heels struck for two second half goals to achieve the victory. The scenario was similar on November 18 in Chapel Hill when Carolina had to come back in the second half to beat Virginia in the NCAA third round and stay alive in the tournament.
After an evenly played first half it was UCLA which dented the scoreboard first. The Bruins struck at 53:37 when Lindsay Greco scored an unassisted goal for the Bruins. ULCA star forward Stephanie Rigamat won a ball at midfield, raced up the right sideline and served a ball into the box. UNC goalkeeper Jenni Branam collided with Tar Heel defender Catherine Reddick, who was making her first career start and the ball fell to the turf. Greco pounced on it and scored easily into the unprotected goal.
UCLA held the lead for over 21 minutes before the Tar Heels finally found the back of the net courtesy of the 26th goal of the season by National Player of the Year candidate Meredith Florance. The scoring sequence began in the midfield when UNC junior midfielder Anne Remy won a 50-50 ball, got to her feet and forwarded the ball up the right sideline to junior striker Danielle Borgman. Borgman's speed allowed her to turn the corner and serve a ball into the penalty area that freshman striker Alyssa Ramsey was able to trap while warding off a defender on her back. Ramsey flicked the ball back to the streaking Florance who pummeled the ball into the top shelf for the tying tally at 75:11.
The game winner came on an own goal, the first time in NCAA championship history the game was decided on an own goal. It was reminiscent of the 1995 NCAA semifinals at UNC's Fetzer Field when Notre Dame upset and undefeated UNC team 1-0 on an own goal. Reddick was the impetus for the play. After a UNC corner kick she stole the ball from a UCLA player in the lower right corner of the box and served a ball in directed at either Leslie Gaston or Kalli Kamholz. The ball split the two and hit the leg of UCLA defender Krista Boling, changed directions and fell two yards inside the goal line on the left side. The time of the goal was 82:18.
Florance was named the Offensive MVP of the NCAA College Cup and Reddick earned defensive MVP honors. Other Tar Heels on the All-Tournament Team were Borgman, junior midfielder Jena Kluegel, sophomore forward Kim Patrick and freshman midfielder Jordan Walker. Meotis Erickson, Liz Wagner and Amy Warner represented Notre Dame on the All-Tournament Team along with Portland's Cheryl Loveless and Lauren Orlandos and UCLA's Karissa Hampton and Venus James.
The Tar Heels became the lowest seeded team in NCAA history to win the women's soccer title. The Tar Heels entered as the #5 seed. UNC's final season record is 21-3. UCLA finished with a 19-4-1 mark.
#6 UCLA 0 1--1
#5 NORTH CAROLINA 0 2--2
Game Scoring Summary
UCLA--Lindsay Greco (unassisted), 53:37
North Carolina--Meredith Florance (Alyssa Ramsey, Danielle Borgman), 75:11
North Carolina--Own Goal, 82:18
SHOTS: UCLA 3, North Carolina 14
CORNER KICKS: UCLA 2, North Carolina 12
SAVES: CiCi Peterson (UCLA) 5, Jenni Branam (UNC) 0
FOULS: UCLA 13, North Carolina 9
OFFSIDE: UCLA 4, North Carolina 0
UCLA Starting Lineup: CiCi Peterson, Stephanie Rigamat, Krista Boling, Bethany Bogart, Breana Boling, Tracey Milburn, Karissa Hampton, Venus James, Lindsay Greco, Whitney Jones, Kathryn Lee
UCLA Reserves: Sarah-Gayle Swanson, Tracey Winzen, Staci Duncan
North Carolina Starting Lineup: Jenni Branam, Julia Marslander, Jena Kluegel, Kalli Kamholz, Anne Remy, Jordan Walker, Raven McDonald, Maggie Tomecka, Meredith Florance, Danielle Borgman, Catherine Reddick
North Carolina Reserves: Kim Patrick, Tina Murphy, Carmen Watley, Leslie Gaston, Alyssa Ramsey
UCLA Shots: Lindsay Greco 2, Whitney Jones
North Carolina Shots: Meredith Florance 6, Jordan Walker 3, Jena Kluegel, Kalli Kamholz, Anne Remy, Raven McDonald, Alyssa Ramsey
Weather: 55 degrees, sunny
Officials: Misail Tsapos (Referee), Karen Swanner (Assistant Referee), Nanci Fortin (Assistant Referee), George Noujaim (Alternate)
Attendance: 9,566
Records: UCLA 19-4-1, UNC 21-3-0
