University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Boston College
Klingenberg's Overtime Heroics Propel Heels to 1-0 Victory
October 18, 2007 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 18, 2007
BOSTON, MASS. - While most low scoring contests are reserved for soccer purists, the 1-0 overtime affair between No. 9 North Carolina and No. 14 Boston College Thursday night was one even the most casual soccer fans could enjoy. After 105 minutes of scoreless soccer, freshman forward Meghan Klingenberg found the back of the net with a lofted shot from just outside the box to give Tar Heels a hard fought win. After the Eagles made a late charge at the Tar Heel net, freshman Rachel Givan carried the ball up the right sideline and passed it forward sophomore Nikki Washington. Washington tapped it ahead to Klingenberg who deposited her 18-yard shot into the upper left corner for the win. Both Carolina and Boston College had multiple opportunities throughout the second half and overtime, but staunch defense and outstanding goalkeeping on both halves of the field kept the ball out of the net until the very end.
In the first half of play, the defenses were able to hold down the two potent offenses with a series of clears and blocked shots. Shots were hard to come by with Carolina taking just six and Boston College two. The Tar Heels backline of seniors Ariel Harris and Jessica Maxwell and sophomore Kristi Eveland had one of their best halves of the year not allowing the Eagles to get off a single uncontested shot. The best offensive chance of the first half came with just under 10 minutes to go when sophomore Casey Nogueira received a pass at the top of the box and tapped it ahead to senior Katie Brooks. The Winchester, Mass. native wheeled and fired on net. The shot was narrowly deflected by BC keeper Sarah Buonomo and bounced off the crossbar.
The Eagles were able to make the first big run of the second half when freshman forward Brooke Knowlton snuck behind the Carolina defense to receive an Eagle throughball. With Eveland bearing down on her, Knowlton had to rush a shot that was snatched up by Carolina keeper Ashlyn Harris for one of her four saves on the night. The Heels responded with a run of their own a few minutes later when Nikki Washington sprinted past the defense into the box where she found herself alone with Buonomo. After a combination of moves that nearly made Buonomo fall to the ground, Washington's chip shot nicked the left post and fell wide.
With regulation in the books at nil-nil, both teams turned up the intensity for the first overtime. After a BC offensive run, both teams were clustered in the Heels' defensive zone when Ariel Harris popped out with the ball and carried it down the left sideline unmarked. At midfield, Harris passed it ahead to the sprinting Tar Heel forwards who looked to have a three-on-one break. As they closed in on the net, Buonomo made one of her best saves of the night diving to snatch a Nogueira shot just as it left her foot. Buonomo had to make another save-one of her seven on the night-just 30 seconds later when junior Yael Averbuch blasted a shot at the Eagle keeper. Boston College had a chance of their own when a cross from the left sideline rolled across the face of the goal without either team making contact.
The Eagles took the first run of the second overtime and nearly ended the game when Knowlton put a shot on the near post that was sent just wide with Ashlyn Harris and the Tar Heel defense coming up big once again. Just a few moments later, Klingenberg would connect with the second game-winning overtime goal of her young career.
The win helped the Heels preserve their spot atop the ACC standings at 6-1-0 in the conference and 12-3-0 overall. Carolina travels to Virginia Tech on Sunday to take on the Hokies at 5:00 p.m. in Blacksburg.
