University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Virginia Tech
Averbuch Scores On Free Kick To Give Tar Heels 1-0 Win Over Hokies
October 15, 2006 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 15, 2006
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Yael Averbuch scored on a free kick in the 55th minute of play to lift No. 2 North Carolina to a 1-0 win over Virginia Tech Sunday afternoon in women's soccer action at Fetzer Field before a crowd of 2,207. The win allowed the Tar Heels to clinch no worse than a tie for the Atlantic Coast Conference's regular-season championship with two weeks remaining in the season.
The win was the 16th in a row for UNC since Anson Dorrance's team lost its season opener in double overtime at Texas A&M. The Tar Heels are 16-1 overall and 8-0 in the ACC. The Hokies fell to 5-8-2 overall and 1-6-1 in the ACC with the loss. Tech has played everyone in the ACC close, going 0-4-1 in its last five games, losing none of the four by more than a single goal.
UNC outshot the Hokies 19-6 on the day and both goalkeepers turned in outstanding performances. Ashley Owens made seven saves for Tech but she was also very active in the penalty area as she repeatedly knocked down or grabbed dangerous Carolina crossing attempts. Anna Rodenbough notched her 12th shutout of the season in 17 games while making four saves. She had two saves in the waning minutes of the match to keep the score 1-0 in the Tar Heels' favor.
The only goal of the game came at 54:11 after a foul to the right of the penalty area deep in the Virginia Tech defensive zone. Averbuch struck the free kick from 25 yards away and it curled over Owens into the top shelf. The goal was the ninth of the season for Averbuch, who is Carolina's leading scorer. It was also the sixth time she has scored the game-winning goal in UNC's 16 victories.
In the first half, Owens had five of her seven saves while Rodenbough had two. Owens stopped three UNC shots in the opening six minutes of play alone. Virginia Tech then had an outstanding chance to score in the eighth minute. Heather Hallberg's shot was blocked at the top of the box but the ball was sent far post by the Hokies where Laurie Beth Puglisi's header was claimed by Rodenbough.
UNC went on to take seven more shots in the first half. Owens saved a header by Averbuch at 36:46. A little over two minutes later a Virginia Tech foul set up a free kick by Averbuch which Owens tipped off the cross bar before the ball was cleared out.
The last shot of the first half came with 56 seconds left with Rodenbough stopping a chance by MaryElizabeth Newton.
In the second half both goalkeepers made two saves. Carolina had a couple of good chances to extend its lead after the Averbuch goal. At 64:53, Elizabeth Guess had a solid strike which missed just to the left side as she went for the upper left corner of the frame. Averbuch was unmarked on the far post at 76:09 but her header off a Melissa Hayes corner kick went high.
The most dangerous opportunity for the day for the Hokies came in the 83rd minute. After a foul on Carolina, Virginia Tech sent a dangerous ball into the box and Robin Chidester was unmarked at the six-yard line on the right side. Her shot from point blank range was kicked away by Rodenbough. Virginia Tech had one more shot on goal with less than 10 seconds remaining in the match but Laurie Beth Puglisi's attempt from long range was stopped by Rodenbough as the final seconds ticked off the clock.
With Wake Forest's 2-1 loss at Clemson Sunday, the Tar Heels clinched no worse than a tie for first place in the league this year. UNC is now 8-0 in conference play. There is now a logjam in the second through fifth spots with Wake Forest at 4-2, Florida State at 4-1-2, Virginia at 4-2-1 and Duke at 3-2-1.
Carolina has two games remaining in the regular season. The Tar Heels will plat NC State on Thursday with a 3:00 p.m. start time at Method Road Soccer Stadium. Carolina will play its regular season finale against Wake Forest at Fetzer Field on October 27 at 7 p.m. Virginia Tech will next be in action Friday as it hosts Maryland at 5 p.m.
