University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Rutgers
Women's Soccer Team Rallies Past Rutgers, 2-1
November 24, 2001 | Women's Soccer
Nov. 24, 2001
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Rutgers provided top-seeded North Carolina with its toughest challenge of the season Saturday afternoon but the Tar Heels rallied past the Scarlet Knights in the final 27 minutes of the game to win 2-1 in the NCAA Women's College Cup third round at Fetzer Field before a crowd of 1,445.
With the win, Carolina improved to 22-0 on the season and extended its winning streak to 31 games over the last two years. Rutgers saw its campaign end with a 14-8-1 record. UNC advances to meet Penn State in the NCAA quarterfinals next Friday at Fetzer Field at 7 p.m. The Nittany Lions downed eighth-seeded Connecticut 2-0 in third round action Saturday afternoon at Storrs, Conn.
Rutgers struck with a goal in the 12th minute of play and kept the lead for over 52 minutes before Carolina could gain the equalizer. The Scarlet Knights' goal evolved when a Rutgers player intercepted a clearing pass by UNC defender Catherine Reddick and fed the ball to forward Keri Lages on the left wing. Lages dribbled in alone on Carolina goalkeeper Kristin DePlatchett. DePlatchett saved Lages shot, but forward Meghan Cameron jumped immediately on the rebound to score into the empty net.
Rutgers' defense kept the Tar Heels off the board for over 52 minutes, the longest Carolina has trailed in a single game since September 24, 1999 when the Heels were behind Santa Clara for the final 72:22 of a 1-0 loss to the Broncos. Eventually Carolina broke through to score on its eighth shot of the game at the 63:55 mark. Midfielder Maggie Tomecka sent a pass to the left wing to Jena Kluegel whose pass split several defenders at the top of the Rutgers penalty box. Freshman striker Anne Morrell gathered in the ball, pivoted and found herself open. She took a couple of dribbles and then placed the ball to the left of Rutgers goalkeeper Christine Caldwell for the tying strike.
Carolina continued to pepper the Rutgers net with another five shots over the next several minutes and Rutgers counterattacked with its best opportunity of the second half as Adrienne Dugandzic's strike was snuffed on a diving save by UNC keeper Jenni Branam, who had entered the game at halftime.
UNC scored on its 14th shot with the game winner coming from midfielder Jordan Walker in the 82nd minute. Each of Walker's last four goals have been game winning goals. She beat Notre Dame in the NCAA semifinals last season, Virginia in the regular season this season and Duke in the NCAA second round and Rutgers in the third round in a span of six days this week.
Walker's goal was set up by Kluegel and forward Alyssa Ramsey. Kluegel led Ramsey with a pass down the left wing and Ramsey dribbled into the corner, held off her defender with her strength and centered the ball to Walker who made a run from midfield and finished into the upper left corner.
The game marked the fourth time in the last seven NCAA Tournament games for North Carolina that the Tar Heels have rallied from a 1-0 deficit in the second half of a game to win 2-1. Carolina turned the trick last year against Virginia in the third round, Notre Dame in the semifinals and UCLA in the finals.
SCORING BY HALVES RUTGERS 1 0--1 NORTH CAROLINA 0 2--2 Scoring Summary:
11:02--Rutgers-- Meghan Cameron (Keri Lages)
63:55--North Carolina-- Anne Morrell (Jena Kluegel, Maggie Tomecka)
81:33--North Carolina-- Jordan Walker (Alyssa Ramsey, Jena Kluegel)
Shots: Rutgers 4, North Carolina 15
Corner Kicks: Rutgers 0, North Carolina 7
Goalkeeper Saves: Christine Caldwell (RU) 4, Kristin DePlatchett (UNC) 2, Jenni Branam (UNC) 1
Fouls: Rutgers 17, North Carolina 11
Offside Violations: Rutgers 3, North Carolina 3
Yellow Card: Alyssa Ramsey (UNC), 57:14
Starting Lineups: Rutgers-- Christine Caldwell, Adrienne Dugandzic, Carli Lloyd, Meghan Cameron, Keri Lages,
Erin McIntyre, Michelle McNamara, Risa Radin, Colleen Caldwell, Christine Wentzler, Eric Schubert.
North Carolina-- Kristin DePlatchett, Anne Felts, Maggie Tomecka, Jena Kluegel, Sara Randolph, Anne Remy,
Alyssa Ramsey, Jordan Walker, Leslie Gaston, Danielle Borgman, Catherine Reddick, Anne Morrell
Substitutes: Rutgers--Courtney Hudson, Samantah Swerdloff, Tara Froehlich, North Carolina-- Elizabeth Ball,
Anne Morrell, Mary McDowell, Carmen Watley, Amy Whittier, Jenni Branam.
Attendance: 1,445
Team Records: Rutgers 14-8-1, North Carolina 22-0-0
Officials: John Wilson (Referee), Dongho Kim (Assistant Referee), Eric Krajewski (Assistant Referee), Ernie Fisher (Alternate)
