University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Penn State
Tar Heels Return To NCAA Final Four For 20th Straight Year
November 30, 2001 | Women's Soccer
Nov. 30, 2001
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The North Carolina women's soccer team is not one which many would agree needs any lucky bounces.
ut the Tar Heels got one Friday night and in the process advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Women's College Cup for the 20th straight year with a 2-1 win over Penn State in front of 2,115 fans at Fetzer Field. The win vaults Carolina (23-0) into the semifinals next Friday against the winner of this coming Sunday's Texas A&M-Portland quarterfinal game at Southern Methodist's Gerald Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas. Penn State saw its season end at 21-4-1.
North Carolina got the game-winning goal off the back side of sophomore forward Alyssa Ramsey at the 79:14 mark. UNC midfielder Jordan Walker served a dangerous ball from midfield to the top of the Nittany Lions' penalty box. Ramsey arrived at the ball at the same instant Penn State goalkeeper Emily Oleksiuk and Nittany Lion defender Bonnie Young got there. Oleksiuk kicked the ball into Ramsey's posterior at the 18-yard line and the ball ricocheted with velocity into an unguarded Penn State goal, getting there on two big bounces. It may have been a bizarre way to decided a game but the Tar Heels were happy to take the result. Carolina got on top early at 5:39 of the match as freshman midfielder Sara Randolph scored her second goal of the season. It came on a play which is similar to many Carolina scoring chances as senior midfielder Jena Kluegel served a ball from deep in the left corner along the end line to Ramsey who held off her defender and drew the defense to the near post. Ramsey waited for Randolph to make her run into the penalty area where the freshman one touched the pass into an empty goal.
Carolina had several more outstanding scoring chances but Oleksiuk was brilliant in keeping the Tar Heels off the board with a couple of point blank saves and freshman forward Anne Morrell twice hit the left post with shots in the first half that could have padded the Tar Heel lead.
The last 20 minutes of the first half belonged to Penn State however as the Nittany Lions kept the ball in the Tar Heels' end and kept constant pressure on the goal. It paid off at 32:17 with a goal by Joanna Lohman who took a nifty pass from the left side and buried a shot from about 20 yards out into the lower right corner. Heidi Drummond assisted on the Penn State goal.
With the game tied at the half 1-1, the Tar Heels came out in the second half and dominated play, outshooting the Nittany Lions 9-1 in the second 45 minutes with seven corner kicks in the second half as well. None of the offense came to fruition until Walker served the ball into the middle in the 80th minute which led to the unusual turn of events which ignited a crowd of over 2,000. Penn State had only one shot after halftime, a header by Christie Welsh which was saved by Jenni Branam who played all 90 minutes in goal for UNC for the first time since the Tar Heels beat Penn State 3-0 on September 9 at Fetzer Field. Branam has been held back since October 2 after suffering a torn patella in her right knee in a win at Duke.
PENN STATE 1 0--1 NORTH CAROLINA 1 1--2
Scoring Summary:
5:39--North Carolina--Sara Randolph (Alyssa Ramsey, Jena Kluegel)
32:17--Penn State--Joanna Lohman (Heidi Drummond)
79,14--North Carolina--Alyssa Ramsey (Jordan Walker)
Shots: Penn State 6, UNC 16
Corner Kicks: Penn State 0, UNC 9
Goalkeeper Saves: Emily Oleksiuk (PSU) 4, Jenni Brannam (UNC) 3
Back Save: Gillian Samuel (PSU)
Fouls: Penn State 5, UNC 7
Yellow Card: Anne Morrell (UNC), 79:56, unsportsmanlike behavior
Offside Violations: Penn State 3, UNC 7
Starting Lineups:
Penn State--Emily Oleksiuk (GK), Gillian Samuel, Stephanie Pezzullo, Bonnie Young, Colleen Kaufold, Heidi Drummond, Stephanie Smith, Christie Welsh, Leigh Hamilton, Joanna Lohman, Megan Mills
North Carolina--Jenni Branam (GK), Maggie Tomecka, Jena Kluegel, Sara Randolph, Anne Remy, Alyssa Ramsey, Jordan Walker, Leslie Gaston, Danielle Borgman, Catherine Reddick, Anne Morrell
Substitutes:
Penn State--Amanda Lentz, Kristen Mandler
North Carolina--Carmen Watley, Elizabeth Ball, Mary McDowell, Anne Felts, Amy Whittier
Game Officials: Bill Dittmar (Referee), Joe Biava (Assistant Referee),Roger Morton (Assistant Referee), Jim Carpenter (Alternate)
Attendance: 2,115
