University of North Carolina Athletics
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North Carolina State
Freshmen Lead UNC Past NC State In ACC Tournament
November 1, 2006 | Women's Soccer
Nov. 1, 2006
CARY, N.C. - Freshman forward Whitney Engen scored two goals on headers off corner kicks and freshman midfielder Ali Hawkins added the third goal in the 86th minute as top-seeded North Carolina shutout No. 8 seed NC State 3-0 in the quarterfinal round of the 2006 Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Soccer Tournament at SAS Soccer Stadium Wednesday.
The Tar Heels advance to the semifinals Friday at 5 p.m. where they will play No. 5 seed Clemson. The Tigers eliminated No. 4 seed Boston College 2-1 Wednesday afternoon.
Carolina won its 19th match in a row to improve to 19-1 on the season. NC State fell to 9-9-2 with the loss.
Despite outshooting the Wolfpack 16-2 in the first half, it took a while for UNC to get on the scoreboard, But a pair of forwards coming off the bench combined on back-to-back goals in the game's 37th and 45th minutes. Both goals were scored on headers by Whitney Engen off corner kicks by Casey Nogueira.
The first goal came at 36:37. Nogueira launched her corner kick from the left side and Engen ran on to the ball at the near post and headed it into the upper left corner of the goal for a 1-0 Tar Heel lead.
It looked as if UNC would have to go to the locker room settling for a 1-0 lead but the frantic final minute of the first half allowed the Tar Heels to get a second goal. With 33 seconds left in the half, Yael Averbuch took a shot which Wolfpack goalkeeper Megan Connors was able to tip over the bar. The ball landed on the top of the goal and Nogueira calmly punched the ball off the netting, retrieved it, went to the left corner, set up the cross and sent it far post where Engen ran on to the ball, blasting it into the upper right side of the net with six seconds left before halftime.
Trailing 2-0, NC State came out in the second half and pressed the Tar Heels, taking six of its eight shots in the final 45 minutes. UNC also continued to attack in its own right, launching 13 more shots in the second half for a total of 29 in the match.
The Tar Heels added their third goal at 85:10 of the match and it came off the foot of freshman midfielder Ali Hawkins. Tobin Heath had a throw in for the Tar Heels on the left side of the pitch. The ball went to Elizabeth Guess who saw Hawkins unmarked on the far side of the field just outside the penalty area. Guess crossed to Hawkins who dribbled into the box and scored past Connors for the final margin.
UNC finished with a 29-8 edge in shots and an 11-1 advantage in corner kicks. Megan Connors was splendid in goal for the Wolfpack as she made 12 saves while allowing only three goals. The Wolfpack also had a back save in the 42nd minute, denying what seemed to be a sure goal by Kristi Eveland that was headed for the back of the net.
UNC's Anna Rodenbough played all 90 minutes in goal and made two saves while recording her 14th solo shutout of the season.
