University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Tennessee
Tar Heels Open Season With 7-1 Rout Of Tennessee
August 26, 2005 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 26, 2005
TOPEKA, KAN. - Junior All-America forward Heather O'Reilly (East Brunswick, N.J.) scored two goals and five other Tar Heels lit up the scoreboard as North Carolina's women's soccer team kicked off its 2005 campaign with a 7-1 victory over Tennessee at Hummer Sports Park. North Carolina is playing games this weekend as a homecoming trip for senior forward Leea Murphy, who hails from Tecumseh, Kan. Murphy celebrated her homecoming with a goal of her own Friday night.
Coach Anson Dorrance's Tar Heels (No. 1 NSCAA, No. 2 Soccer Buzz & Soccer America) played at a high level against the Lady Vols, who a year ago fought Carolina to a 0-0 double overtime tie in Knoxville, Tenn. The game was also the season opener for Tennessee (No. 11 NSCAA, No. 16 Soccer Buzz, No. 20 Soccer America).
The Tar Heels sped to a 4-0 advantage before intermission hit Friday as junior forward Elizabeth Guess (Athens, Ga.) paced UNC with a goal and an assist in the first 45 minutes. But it was freshman midfielder Yael Averbuch (Upper Montclair, N.J.) who initiated the scoring for the 2005 campaign with a goal at 6:43 of the match. Averbuch tallied on a direct kick from 22 yards out to put Carolina up 1-0.
Less than six minutes later Guess scored the eventual game-winning goal as she beat the defense one-on-one and scored past Tennessee goalkeeper Vanessa Phillips-Bosshart. At the 36:17 mark of the first half, O'Reilly notched the first of her two goals on the night as she beat the keeper one-on-one after receiving a long cross from Guess.
Less than one minute before halftime, Murphy excited her hometown crowd of 2,522 by scoring an unassisted goal on a breakaway, beating the Tennessee goalkeeper 1-v-1 to finish off the scoring opportunity. Senior defender Kendall Fletcher (Cary, N.C.) assisted Murphy on the play.
Carolina built its lead to 6-0 in the second half on goals by O'Reilly and sophomore striker Jaime Gilbert (North Andover, Mass.). Guess got her second assist of the night, both on O'Reilly goals, at the 51:58 mark with O'Reilly beating the keeper from seven yards out. Kacey White also assisted on the goal, her first of two assists on Friday.
At 69:10, senior midfielder Kacey White (Arlington, Texas) sent a through ball to Gilbert who beat a drawn out goalkeeper to make the score 6-0.
Tennessee spoiled the Tar Heels' potential shutout at the 79:05 mark as Kylee Rossi scored on a shot from the wing past UNC reserve goalkeeper Elizabeth Lancaster (Greensboro, N.C.), who relieved Tar Heel starter Aly Winget (Orinda, Calif.) in the 68th minute.
UNC had one more goal left it in, however, as sophomore defender Julie Yates (Winston-Salem, N.C.) scored at 86:19 by converting a shot off a rebound.
Carolina outshot the Lady Vols 14-12 on the evening but the Heels were deadly accurate with 12 shots placed on the frame of the goal.
Phillips-Bosshart made five saves for UT while playing the whole way. Winget recorded two saves for Carolina in her 67 plus minutes of work. The 1-0 Tar Heels will return to the pitch on Sunday when they play Colorado (No. 22 Soccer Buzz) at 12 p.m. C.D.T. at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka. The Tar Heels will play their home opener next Friday at 5 p.m. against Davidson at Fetzer Field in the first game of the 2005 Carolina Nike Classic.
