University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Wake Forest
Carolina Finishes ACC Regular Season Unbeaten With 4-0 Win Over Wake Forest
October 27, 2006 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 27, 2006
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - No. 1 North Carolina got goals from four different players and three assists from Heather O'Reilly in her final regular season home game as the Tar Heels defeated No. 20 Wake Forest 4-0 Friday night in women's soccer action at Fetzer Field. With two starters out of the lineup, the Tar Heels looked to different sources for offensive production and junior forward Jaime Gilbert and freshman freshman Casey Nogueira stepped up with first-half goals to stake North Carolina to a 2-0 halftime lead.
The game was the final regular-season home match for a quartet of Tar Heel seniors - strikers Heather O'Reilly and Elizabeth Guess, midfielder Jennifer Perkins and goalkeeper Elizabeth Lancaster. O'Reilly responded with a performance that included her most assists in a match since November 13, 2004 when she had four against William & Mary in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Guess also had an assist Friday night, her team-leading 10th assist of the season. O'Reilly's three assists give her nine for the season.
O'Reilly now has 42 assists in her career, moving her into 16th place on the UNC career list as she passed four players in a single night on the chart. Her three points Friday night gave her 150 points in her career and has moved her into a tie with Meredith Florance for 12th place on the UNC career scoring list.
The win was UNC's 18th victory in a row. The Tar Heels have not lost since being defeated by Texas A&M 1-0 in double overtime on the opening day of the season - August 25 - in College Station, Texas. The Tar Heels finished the regular season 18-1 overall and a spotless 10-0 in the ACC. Because of the expansion of the ACC in the past two years this marks the first year in history the Tar Heels have won 10 league regular season games and it is the third time in the last four years they have gone unbeaten and untied in the ACC.
The Demon Deacons fell to 13-5 with the loss and 5-4 in the ACC. The Deacs close out the regular season with a home match against Duke Sunday at 6 p.m.
Two UNC starters missed the game. Midfielder Robyn Gayle is currently playing with the Canadian National Team in South Korea. Forward Whitney Engen missed the game with a calf injury.
With Engen out of the lineup, Jaime Gilbert got the start and she delivered the game-winning goal in the 17th minute. It is the second straight game in which Gilbert has produced the game-winner for UNC. Gilbert's goal came at 16:54. Heather O'Reilly led a counter attack by feeding Tobin Heath on the left sideline. Heath threaded the ball to Gilbert in the middle of the field. Gilbert dribbled unmarked to a spot 25 yards in front of the goal and she sent a rocket which went over the head of Laura Morse and glanced off the crossbar into the net.
Less than nine minutes later, the Tar Heels made it 2-0 as Casey Nogueira scored her second goal of the season. Nikki Washington sent a pass to Nogueira, who had replaced Gilbert less than six minutes earlier. Morse came in an effort to get to the ball but Nogueira dribbled past her and sent a shot into the left side from a difficult angle on the right side of the box.
Wake Forest had a great chance to cut the UNC lead to 2-1 with 2:05 left in the first half but Kritsten Kemp's shot from the top of the box on the left side was kick saved by Anna Rodenbough. It was one of Rodenbough's five saves on the night as she recorded her 13th solo shutout in 19 matches.
UNC went on to score twice more in the second half. At 61:41, Yael Averbuch scored her team-leading 11th goal of the season. Elizabeth Guess fed Heather O'Reilly down the left side. O'Reilly carried the ball toward the end line and sent a long cross to the back post. Averbuch ran on to the pass and finished into an open net to make it 3-0 in favor Carolina.
Carolina finished the scoring at 78:28 on a goal by Nikki Washington, her second of the season, assisted by Heather O'Reilly. O'Reilly took a shot from the left side that Morse knocked down. But Morse was unable to hold on to the wet ball - the entire match was played in a driving rainstorm - and Washington was there to pounce on the rebound for an easy goal.
Wake Forest had several good opportunities to ruin the shutout for Carolina in the final minutes. Jill Hutchinson had two point-blank shots at Anna Rodenbough but the Tar Heel keeper made saves on the shots at 85:58 and 86:13. Two more Wake shots were blocked in the final four minutes by the UNC defense.
The Tar Heels finished with 20 shots to nine for Wake. Morse played almost 81 minutes in goal for the Deacs, making seven saves and allowing four goals. Kaitlyn Doe played the final 9:14 for Wake. Rodenbough went the whole way for UNC, making five saves.
Carolina will have five days off before playing in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament Wednesday at SAS Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. Pairings and game times for the four quarterfinal games next Wednesday will be released by the ACC office on Monday.
UNC's ACC regular season title clinched on Friday was its 17th in 20 years of league play. Beginning Wednesday, the Tar Heels will begin the quest for their 17th ACC Tournament title in the past 18 years.
