University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Santa Clara
UNC's Bid For A Three-Peat Thwarted By Santa Clara
December 9, 2001 | Women's Soccer
Dec. 9, 2001
DALLAS, TEXAS - North Carolina's quest for an 18th national championship in women's soccer fell short Sunday afternoon as the Tar Heels were beaten by second-ranked Santa Clara in the championship game of the 2001 NCAA Women's College Cup at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on the Southern Methodist University campus.
Santa Clara's Aly Wagner scored the game-winning goal in the game's 41st minute and the Broncos then benefitted from an offside call on North Carolina that took the apparent game-tying off the scoreboard in the game's 60th minute.
Santa Clara became only the fifth team to win a collegiate championship, joining UNC (17 titles) and Florida, George Mason and Notre Dame (one championship each).
UNC was bidding to become the first team to finish a season undefeated and untied in women*s soccer since the Tar Heels pulled off the trick in 1993. Carolina also saw its 33-game winning streak end. UNC had not lost since October 27, 2000 when Wake Forest beat the Tar Heels 1-0 in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Carolina finished the season 24-1-0 while Santa Clara improved to 23-2-0 on the campaign with the victory in the national title game.
Santa Clara dominated most of the later stages of the first half and the Broncos determination paid off in the first goal of the game at 40:44. The goal came by first-team All-America midfielder Aly Wagner who buried a shot into the upper left quadrant of the goal off assists by forward Leslie Osborne and defender Jessica Ballweg.
UNC goalie Jenni Branam kept the Broncos from making it 2-0 in the last 15 seconds of the first half as she stopped a point blank shot by Danielle Slaton off a Wagner corner kick. The Broncos dominated the first half statistics with five shots to three for the Tar Heels and two corner kicks to Carolina's one. Carolina*s Jenni Branam made two saves in the first half and Santa Clara*s Alyssa Sobolik had one save. The Broncos were whistled for eight fouls in the first half and the Tar Heels fouled seven times. Carolina was offside on two occasions and SCU one.
Just 1:35 into the second half the Broncos had a brilliant opportunity to add to their lead as Veronica Zepeda split the Tar Heel defense and went in on goal before her shot from inside the penalty area was saved by Branam.
The Tar Heels looked to have tied the game in the 60th minute on an apparent goal by Sara Randolph but it was taken off the scoreboard after the officials ruled the Tar Heels were offside on the play.
Santa Clara outshot the Tar Heels 8-7 with the Tar Heels recording four corners and SCU three. Santa Clara fouled 18 times to 15 for UNC. Sobilek had two saves for Santa Clara and Branam three for North Carolina.
#2 SANTA CLARA 1 0--1
#1 NORTH CAROLINA 0 0--0
Scoring Summary:
Santa Clara--Aly Wagner (Leslie Osborner, Jessica Ballweg), 40:44
Shots: Santa Clara 8, North Carolina 7
Corner Kicks: Santa Clara 3, North Carolina 4
Goalkeeper Saves: Alyssa Sobilek (SCU) 2, Jenni Branam (UNC) 3
Fouls: Santa Clara 18, North Carolina 15
Yellow Cards: Lana Bowen (SCU), 64:48, Kristi Candou (SCU), 81:46
Offside Violations: Santa Clara 3, North Carolina 3
Starting Lineups:
Santa Clara -- Alyssa Sobolik (GK), Taline Tahmassian, Kerry Cathcart, Aly Wagner, Anna Kraus, Lana Bowen, Leslie Osborne, Jessica Ballweg, Devvyn Hawkins, Bree Horvath, Danielle Slaton
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:
Santa Clara -- Veronica Zepeda, Kristi Candau, Holly Azevedo
North Carolina -- Elizabeth Ball, Mary McDowell, Anne Felts, Amy Whitter, Carmen Watley
Game Officials: Rachel Woo (Referee), Kara Lee Sutton (Assistant Referee), Sharon Wheeler (Assistant Referee), Debbie Church (Alternate Official)
Attendance: 7,090
Records: Santa Clara 23-2-0, North Carolina 24-1-0
