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No. 9 Texas A&M Hands No. 4 North Carolina First Season-Opening Loss Since 1983
August 26, 2006 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 26, 2006
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS -- The North Carolina women's soccer team dropped its season opener for the first time since 1983 as the ninth-ranked Texas A&M Aggies defeated the No. 4 Tar Heels 1-0 in double overtime Friday night at the Aggie Soccer Complex. It was UNC's first loss to the Aggies in nine career meetings.
UNC went into the match ranked No. 4 by the NSCAA coaches, No. 3 by Soccer America and No. 6 by Soccer Buzz. The Aggies (1-0) were the preseason No. 9 team in the nation as ranked by both the NSCAA and Soccer America.
UNC (0-1) will try to get into the win column when the Tar Heels play at SMU on Sunday at 2 p.m. EDT. The game is being played at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. The loss was the first for the North Carolina women's soccer team in a season opener since September 3, 1983 when UNC lost to Connecticut 3-1 in Storrs, Conn. The Tar Heels also tied season openers in 2002 in a 1-1 deadlock at Nebraska and in 1985 when Carolina and George Mason played a 3-3 tie in Chapel Hill. The loss was only the 28th in the history of UNC soccer dating back to the first season in 1979.
After losing five starters to graduation from the 2005 squad and with another three starters currently playing with U.S. and Canadian National Teams at this time, North Carolina started a revamped lineup that include five freshmen in the starting lineup. Forward Sterling Smith, midfielders Whitney Engen, Nikki Washington and Ali Hawkins and defender Kristi Eveland all earned their first career starts for UNC.
The two teams played evenly until the 108th minute when Texas A&M broke through for the winning goal scored by preseason Soccer Buzz All-America forward Ashlee Pistorious off an assist by Amy Berend. Berend sent a pass from the middle of the field to the top of the box where Pistorious who finished the chance past UNC sophomore goalkeeper Anna Rodenbough.
Rodenbough went all 110 minutes in goal for the Tar Heels and she made a career-high eight saves in the game. It was the most saves in a game by a UNC goalkeeper since September 15, 2002 when Aly Winget had eight saves while allowing two goals in a 3-2 win over Texas at the Houston College Challenge in Spring, Texas.
Texas A&M outshot the Tar Heels 15-13 in the game. It was the most shots allowed in a game by UNC since September 19, 2003 when UCLA outshot the Tar Heels 16-11 in a 5-2 victory by Carolina. A&M was the first team to outshoot Carolina in a game since September 22, 2005 when Florida State outshot Carolina 14-13 in a 4-1 win by the Tar Heels in Tallahassee, Fla.
The Aggies had eight corner kicks in the game to only two for UNC. The Tar Heels had eight saves and the Aggies four.
Carolina is missing three starters for much of the early part of the 2006 campaign. Defender Robyn Gayle is currently playing with the Canadian National Team and will return for the East Coast Invitational next weekend in New Haven, Conn. Forward Casey Nogueira and midfielder Tobin Heath, both freshmen projected as starters for UNC, are playing with the U.S. Under-20 National Team in Russia at the World Championship. They will miss the first five games of the season before joining the Tar Heels for their trip to the Nike Portland Invitational September 9 and 11.
UNC senior All-America forward Heather O'Reilly played for the Tar Heels Friday night against the Aggies but she will miss Sunday's match at SMU. O'Reilly will be playing with the U.S. National Team Sunday at a match in Chicago before rejoining the Tar Heels for their home opener next Tuesday against UNC Greensboro.
Texas A&M's shutout of Carolina was UNC's first scoreless game since a 1-0 loss to Santa Clara on November 20, 2004 in the third round of the NCAA Tournament at Fetzer Field.
