University of North Carolina Athletics
No. 2 UNC Faces Season's Toughest Week
October 5, 2006 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 5, 2006
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.-- North Carolina's women's soccer team will put its 12-match winning streak to the test Thursday and Sunday as Carolina prepares for its most difficult week of the 2006 season as Atlantic Coast Conference regular season play continues. The Tar Heels begin their competitive week by visiting Virginia for a match at 7 p.m. Thursday at Klockner Stadium. The game will be webcast live on ACC Select and live stats will be available on TarHeelBlue.com via CSTV Gametracker. UNC heads into the game with a record of 12-1 overall and 4-0 in the ACC. The Cavaliers are 7-3-2 overall and 2-1-1 in the league. UNC is ranked No. 2 in the nation this week in all four polls. The Cavaliers are ranked as high as No. 12 in the Soccer America and Soccer Times polls. After visiting Virginia on Thursday, the Tar Heels will have a quick turnaround before heading eight miles up U.S. 15-501 to Durham, N.C. where the Tar Heels will face arch-rival Duke on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Koskinen Stadium. That game will be webcast live on ACC Select. The Blue Devils have a full week off before hosting the Tar Heels. Duke is 7-4-1 overall and 3-1 in the ACC after blanking NC State 3-0 last Sunday. The Blue Devils are tied for second in the ACC withe Wake Forest heading into play this week. UNC leads the ACC with a 4-0 conference mark.
TAR HEELS ENTER ACC SEASON'S THIRD WEEK UNDEFEATED
Three weeks into the 2006 conference season the Tar Heels find themselves as the league's only undefeated and untied team. The Tar Heels control their own fate in the final six games of the regular season if they want to claim the ACC regular season title. UNC currently leads the league with a 4-0 record while Wake Forest and Duke are tied for second at 3-1. Carolina has head-to-head matchups with Duke this Sunday and Wake Forest on October 27. Florida State and Virginia are also teams with only one loss in conference play. Both the Seminoles and the Cavaliers have 2-1-1 league marks.
CAROLINA'S SUCCESSFULLY COMMENCES ACC DOCKET
After playing its first nine matches this season against non-conference teams and compiling an 8-1 record against one of the nation's most difficult dockets, North Carolina concludes its 2006 season with 10 straight Atlantic Coast Conference games.
Carolina has gone 4-0 in its first four conference matches. The Tar Heels have road matches this week at Virginia and at Duke. After this road trip UNC will play three of its last four regular season matches at home.
Carolina is 108-6-3 all-time in ACC regular-season matches in history and the Tar Heels have won 16 ACC regular-season championships since the first ACC champion in women's soccer was crowned in 1987.
NORTH CAROLINA IN THE ACC STATS
In the current ACC stats, UNC's Yael Averbuch ranks second in shots per game (4.54), eighth in points per game (1.31) and 10th in assists per game (0.38). Heather O'Reilly ranks fifth in shots per game (3.42), sixth in points per game (1.42), ninth in goals per game (0.50) and eighth in assists per game (0.42). Whitney Engen is third in assists per game (0.54). Elizabeth Guess is fifth in assists per game (0.46). Yael Averbuch and Heather O'Reilly are tied for third in the league in game winning goals with three each. Anna Rodenbough is first in goals against average (0.38), eighth in saves per game (2.00) and first in shutouts per game (0.69). As a team, UNC is first in shots per game (20.54), second in points per game (8.00), third in goals per game (2.46) and second in assists per game (3.08). The Tar Heels are first in goals against average (0.38) and first in shutouts per game (0.69).
TAR HEEL SCORING BY HALVES
North Carolina has outscored opponents 15-3 this year in the first half and 17-1 in the second half. Carolina has been outscored 1-0 in overtime periods.
CAROLINA IN CLOSE GAMES
North Carolina is 5-1 this year in one-goal games, losing it sonly overtime match of the year at Texas A&M. UNC is 2-0 in matches decided by two goals and 5-0 in matches decided by three or more goals.
CAROLINA'S ROSTER BREAKDOWN
UNC returned the fewest number of starters of any ACC team this year with only six. The Tar Heels' 13 returning lettermen are also the fewest in the conference.
Carolina's Heather O'Reilly is the only returning All-ACC honoree on the UNC roster. She was a first-team selection last year.
UNC's 26-man roster includes 12 freshmen and only three seniors. Carolina has four sophomores and seven juniors.
UNC IN SOCCER RATINGS
UNC is ranked No. 1 in the SoccerRatings.com ratings last updated September 30, 2006. Three other ACC teams are in the top 11. Florida State is third, Virginia ninth and Wake Forest 11th.
ATTENDANCE TIDBITS
UNC'S home match against Florida State on September 21 drew the largest crowd of the year for a conference match with 2,181 fans in attendance. UNC's 2,387 attendance against UNC Greensboro on August 29 is the second largest crowd to attend any home match hosted by an ACC team this season. The Tar Heels are averaging 1,760 fans per home game this season, the second highest average attendance in the ACC behind Florida State's 1,926.
VERSUS RANKED TEAMS
UNC is 4-1 this year against teams ranked by the NSCAA and Soccer America. The Tar Heels are 5-1 this year against teams ranked by Soccer Buzz.
Anson Dorrance AS HEAD COACH
Coach Anson Dorrance is in his 28th season as the North Carolina head coach. Dorrance's overall record as head coach is 614-28-18. His record in ACC regular-season matches is 108-6-3.
UNC MET AND THEN BEAT HIGHER RANKED TEAM AT HOME FOR FIRST TIME IN 16 YEARS
When North Carolina met Florida State on September 21, 2006 it marked the first match at Fetzer Field since 1990 where the Tar Heels were ranked behind their opponent in the national ratings. At the time of the match the Tar Heels were ranked No. 4 nationally in all four polls (NSCAA coaches, Soccer America, Soccer Times and Soccer Buzz). FSU was ranked No. 1 by Soccer America and the Seminoles were No. 2 in the NSCAA coaches, Soccer Buzz and Soccer Times polls. Florida State was the first opponent to invade the Fetzer Field pitch with a higher ranking than the Tar Heels since October 20, 1990 when No. 3-ranked North Carolina defeated No. 1-ranked Virginia 3-0. UNC repeated that winning feat against No.1/No. 2 Florida State on September 21 as UNC beat the Seminoles 2-1 while outshooting the Noles 17-7. Senior striker Heather O'Reilly was a one-woman wrecking ball for the Tar Heels as she struck with brilliant goals in the 23rd and 84th minutes to overcome the Seminoles, who had knocked Carolina out of the 2005 NCAA Tournament on penalty kicks in the quarterfinal round.
CAROLINA IS ONE OF NATION'S MOST BALANCED SCORING TEAMS
Heading into the match against Virginia, the Tar Heels rank as one of the nation's most balanced scoring teams. UNC's 32 goals have come from 12 different players led by Yael Averbuch and Heather O'Reilly with six each. UNC's 40 assists have come from 16 different players led by Whitney Engen's seven. Seventeen different players have contributed the 104 points, led by Heather O'Reilly with 17.
O'REILLY IS NAMED NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK BY THREE ORGANIZATIONS
Heather O'Reilly's performances against Florida State and Miami resulted in the senior striker being named the National Women's Soccer Player of the Week by three different entities. O'Reilly, who scored both goals in a 2-1 Tar Heel win over top-ranked Florida State and then added a goal against Miami on September 24, earned National Player of the Week honors from Soccer America, Top Drawer Soccer and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America on September 25. She was the second Tar Heel player in two weeks to earn National Player of the Week recognition. Kristi Eveland won honors from Soccer Times September 18.
EVELAND EARNS HONORS AS NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
While Heather O'Reilly was named National Player of the Week by three organizations September 25, she was actually beaten to the punch this year by a Tar Heel freshman defender. Kristi Eveland earned honors as the Soccer Times National Player of the Week September 18 after earning tournament defensive MVP honors at the Duke adidas Classic.
CAROLINA VS. VIRGINIA
Thursday will mark the 38th meeting between UNC and Virginia. UNC leads the series 36-0-1. The Tar Heels have a 12-0 advantage against the Cavaliers in games played in Charlottesville, Va.
CAROLINA VS. DUKE
Sunday will mark the 40th meeting between UNC and Duke. UNC leads the series 36-2-1. The Tar Heels have a 11-0 advantage against the Blue Devils in games played in Durham. N.C.
RODENBOUGH'S SCORELESS MINUTES STREAK ENDS AGAINST FLORIDA STATE
When India Trotter of Florida State scored against North Carolina in the second half of UNC's 2-1 victory over the Seminoles on September 21, it marked the first time in over 550 minutes that Anna Rodenbough had allowed a goal to be scored against Carolina. Rodenbough's scoreless minutes streak ended at 558 minutes and 24 seconds when Trotter scored at 61:54 of the match. The last goal she had allowed prior to the FSU game came at 43:30 of the match against Connecticut on September 1.
YOUTH WINS OUT
Carolina is fielding one of its most inexperienced teams in history this year. UNC lost 10 seniors off the 2005 team, including five four-year starters -- striker Lindsay Tarpley, midfielders Lori Chalupnny and Kacey White, defender Kendall Fletcher and goalkeeper Aly Winget. The last time UNC had lost as many as 10 players to graduation was between the 1994 and 1995 seasons. The Nike Portland Invitational September 8 and 10 marked the first time this year the Tar Heels had their full roster available (with the exception of goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris who is still rehabbing from knee surgery in June and is expected to return to practice soon). For five of the last seven matches six freshmen have started for Carolina with two newcomers at forward, two in the midfield and two on defense. The Tar Heel starting lineup has also included two sophomores (Anna Rodenbough in goal and Yael Averbuch in the midfield) and two juniors (Jessica Maxwell on defense and Robyn Gayle in the midfield). Striker Heather O'Reilly is the only senior currently in the starting lineup. Maxwell is a redshirt junior and was recruited in the same class as O'Reilly. Junior Ariel Harris has started eight games on defense this year including UNC's most recent game against Maryland. She has been alternating with freshman Ali Hawkins at the left back position. When six freshmen started against Portland on September 10 it equaled the most freshmen to ever start a game in UNC's storied women's soccer history dating back to the 1979 season. UNC also started six freshmen in some games during the 1991 season.
TAR HEELS GO WITH REVAMPED LOOK ON THE FIELD
Of the 11 players who started the majority of the games for UNC in 2005, five were seniors -- Tarpley at forward, Chalupny and White in the midfield, Fletcher on defense and Winget in goal.
Of the six Tar Heels who returned from 2005 having started the majority of the games, only O'Reilly at forward and Averbuch and Gayle in the midfield are still starting on a full-time basis. Ariel Harris has been alternating games in the starting lineup and Jaime Gilbert and Elizabeth Guess are now coming off the bench for the Tar Heels.
Six freshmen have joined O'Reilly, Averbuch, Gayle and Harris in the starting 11 as have Jessica Maxwell on defense, who started in 2003 and 2004 before sitting out 2005 after undergoing knee surgery, and Anna Rodenbough, who started a handful of matches in goal for Carolina last season but is now the full-time starter. Rodenbough and Aly Winget alternated in the starting goalie position durin gthe last third of the 2005 campaign.
O'Reilly, at left forward, is starting in the same position she started in 2005 and Harris also starts at left back when she is in the starting 11. Every other position on the field has a different starter from 2005. Averbuch has moved from holding center midfielder to attacking center midfielder and Robyn Gayle has moved from the back line to holding center midfielder.
AVERBUCH NAMED ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK september 4
North Carolina's Yael Averbuch was tabbed Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Soccer Player of the Week September 4, 2006 after registering six points as the Tar Heels posted a perfect 3-0 record on the week with wins over UNC Greensboro, No. 18 Connecticut and No. 23 Yale.
Averbuch tallied two goals and an assist in North Carolina's 4-0 win at Yale. The sophomore midfielder set the NCAA record for the fastest goal scored in a collegiate women's soccer game, netting the first goal just four seconds into the match. The goal also equaled the fastest goal ever scored in a collegiate men's soccer match. Averbuch scored directly off the game's kickoff, sending a 55-yard shot on the opening direct kick into the top center of the net over the outstretched Yale goalkeeper. She then assisted on UNC's second goal of the afternoon by finding Robyn Gayle open for her first goal of 2006. The Upper Montclair, N.J., native capped off the match against the Bulldogs with her second goal of the game on a 20-yard shot from the left wing to give the Tar Heels a commanding 3-0 lead at the half.
After trailing 2-0 to Connecticut at the half, North Carolina scored three second-half goals in less than 20 minutes to knock off the Huskies, 3-2. Averbuch helped the Tar Heels tie the game at 2-2 by assisting on Ali Hawkins' first goal of the season in the 58th minute of action.
For her efforts at the East Coast Invitational in New Haven, Conn., Averbuch was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player for the Tar Heels.
O'REILLY COPS ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS SEPTEMBER 25
North Carolina's Heather O'Reilly and Virginia's Jess Rostedt were named Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Soccer Co-Players of the Week September 25 after guiding their respective teams to a pair of conference wins. O'Reilly scored three goals during the week to propel North Carolina to a 2-0 record with wins over No. 1 Florida State and Miami. The senior forward scored both goals in the Tar Heels 2-1 victory over the Seminoles. O'Reilly opened the scoring with a 28-yard blast in the first half and followed that with the game-winner as she sent a bending shot from outside the top of the box with less than seven minutes remaining in the match. The goal was O'Reilly's first game-winner of the season. On Sunday, O'Reilly would tally her third goal of the week in the 52nd minute against the visiting Hurricanes. The East Brunswick, N.J., native scored from 25-yards out to increase the Tar Heel lead to 3-1. North Carolina would go on for a 6-1 victory over Miami.
O'REILLY REPEATS AS ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK OCTOBER 2
North Carolina's Heather O'Reilly and Duke's KayAnne Gummersall were tabbed Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Soccer Co-Players of the Week October 2 after leading their respective teams to a perfect 2-0-0 week with a pair of conference victories. O'Reilly figured in four of North Carolina's five goals on the week with a goal and three assists as the Tar Heels downed Clemson and Maryland. In the victory at Clemson, the senior forward assisted on Ali Hawkins' game-winning goal as Hawkins headed home an O'Reilly corner kick in the 19th minute. On Sunday against Maryland, O'Reilly scored the game-winning goal in the first half on a bending left footed shot. The East Brunswick, N.J., native then assisted on both Tar Heel goals in the second half as UNC pulled away for a 3-0 victory over the Terrapins. In the last six matches, O'Reilly has 14 points, five goals, four assists and three game-winning goals.
TAR HEELS DOWN PORTLAND TO BEAT A DEFENDING NCAA CHAMPION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 10 YEARS
North Carolina's 1-0 win at Portland on September 10 marked the first time in 10 years the Tar Heels had defeated the defending NCAA champion in a match. The Pilots defeated UCLA 4-0 last season to win the national crown. The previous UNC win over a defending NCAA champion came December 8, 1996 when the Tar Heels defeated Notre Dame 1-0 in double overtime in the NCAA championship game in Santa Clara, Calif. The Fighting Irish had won the 1995 title by beating Portland 1-0 in triple overtime.
AVERBUCH, GAYLE EARNS HONORS AT EAST COAST INVITATIONAL
Sophomore midfielder Yael Averbuch and junior midfielder Robyn Gayle were named North Carolina's most valuable offensive and defensive players, respectively, as the Tar Heels won the championship of the 2006 East Coast Invitational September 1 and 3. UNC finished the weekend with a 2-0 record while UConn and Duke were both 1-1 and Yale was 0-2.
FOUR TAR HEELS WIN ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS AT DUKE ADIDAS CLASSIC
Carolina had four players named to the All-Tournament Team at the Duke adidas Classic September 15 and 17 in Durham, N.C. Sophomore midfielder Yael Averbuch, senior forward Heather O'Reilly, freshman midfielder Nikki Washington and freshman defender Kristi Eveland were so honored. O'Reilly was named the offensive most valuable player of the tournament while Eveland was named the most valuable defensive player.
CAROLINA WINS THREE STRAIGHT TOURNAMENT TITLES
Carolina has won three regular-season tournament titles this season. Carolina went 2-0 in the East Coast Invitational in New Haven, Conn. September 1 and 3, 2-0 at the Nike Portland Invitational September 8 and 10 and 2-0 at the Duke adidas Classic September 15 and 17.
TAR HEELS PLAY EIGHT OF LAST 10 MATCHES IN THE TRIANGLE
After opening the season with eight road games in nine matches, the Tar Heels will stick close to home for the remainder of the 2006 season. Of UNC's final 10 matches of the season, six will be in Chapel Hill and road games will be played at Duke and NC State. UNC's other road games are at Clemson and Virginia.
UNC LOSES A SEASON OPENER FOR FIRST TIME IN 23 YEARS
When the Tar Heels lost to Texas A&M August 25 by a 1-0 score in double overtime, it marked the first loss in a season opener for the Tar Heels in 23 years. The last time Carolina had lost its season opener was 1983 when the UConn Huskies beat Carolina 3-1 in Storrs, Conn.
Carolina is now 25-2-1 all-time in season openers.
O'REILLY NAMED TO MISSOURI ATHLETIC CLUB HERMANN TROPHY WATCH LIST
The University of North Carolina's Heather O'Reilly, a senior forward from East Brunswick, N.J., is one of the 25 student-athletes nationwide to be named to the women's 2006 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List. The list, announced by the Missouri Athletic Club, was compiled by a panel of coaches from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). O'Reilly is one of 25 players nationwide who will be seeking to replace 2005 MAC Hermann Trophy winner Christine Sinclair of Portland who graduated after leading the Pilots to the national championship last year. O'Reilly has been a semifinalist for the award the past two years and was a finalist as named by the NSCAA in 2005. Four schools--Portland, Florida State, UCLA and Notre Dame have two or more candidates on the Watch List. Five players from Atlantic Coast Conference Teams are on the list. The winner of the M.A.C.'s Hermann Trophy will be determined in voting by the NSCAA Division I member coaches. A list of 15 semifinalists will be announced in early November with three finalists announced in late November. They will be invited to St. Louis on Saturday, Dec. 2 for the announcement of the winner at a press conference to be held in conjunction with the Men's College Cup. Both the men's and women's winners will be presented the prestigious crystal soccer ball trophy at a banquet later that evening.
AVERBUCH, EVELAND & O'REILLY EARN HONORS FROM TOP DRAWER SOCCER
Sophomore midfielder Yael Averbuch on September 4, freshman defender Kristi Eveland on September 18 and senior forward Heather O'Reilly on September 25 were named this year to the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week.
