University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Clemson
Nogueira Scores Twice As Tar Heels Blank Clemson 3-0
October 29, 2009 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 29, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Sixth-ranked North Carolina started eight seniors and played all 26 players who were dressed Thursday night as the Tar Heel women's soccer team broke a two-match losing streak by beating Clemson 3-0 at Fetzer Field. Senior Casey Nogueira scored a pair of goals and junior Jessica McDonald added one while the Tar Heel defense held Clemson without a shot while recording its 10th shutout of the campaign in 17 matches.
UNC's Nogueira scored in the 12th minute of the game to account for the game-winner and then McDonald and Nogueira scored less than two minutes apart early in the second half to power the Tar Heels to the win. UNC improved to 13-3-1 overall with the victory and the Heels are now 6-3 in the ACC. Clemson saw its season end with a mark of 3-15 overall and 0-10 in the ACC.
UNC moved into sole possession of third place in the ACC standings with the victory. Boston College and Florida State are now tied for first place in the league standings after Thursday's games with 19 points apiece while Carolina is in third place with 18 points. Wake Forest is in fourth place with 17 points followed by Virginia Tech in fifth place with 15 points and Maryland in sixth place with 14 points.
All eight Tar Heel seniors who were in the uniform started the game. The only senior not to start was senior midfielder Tobin Heath who was playing Thursday with the U.S. National Team in Germany in an exhibition match against the German National Team. Senior midfielder Nikki Washington started the game in uniform wearing a brace on her right knee. Washington, whose senior year ended against LSU last month when she tore her right ACL, was rewarded with the start and Clemson, in a show of sportsmanship, intentionally kicked the ball out of play so sophomore midfielder Maria Lubrano could replace Washington 31 seconds into the match.
The other seven Tar Heels to start were senior defenders Whitney Engen and Kristi Eveland, senior goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, senior midfielder Sterling Smith and senior forwards Ashley Moore, Casey Nogueira and Caroline Boneparth. Both Moore and Boneparth earned the first starts of their careers Thursday.
UNC outshot the Tigers 29-0 and had a 6-1 edge in corner kicks. Three Tar Heel goalkeepers combined for the shutout. Ashlyn Harris played 55:20 of the match, followed by Hannah Daly with 31:47 minutes of action and Monica Welsh-Loveman with the final 2:31 of the game. Clemson goalkeeper Paula Pritzen made nine saves and allowed three goals as UNC placed 12 of its 29 shots on frame.
After being shutout by Miami last Sunday, the Tar Heels took less than 12 minutes to get on the scoreboard Thursday night. Carolina earned a corner kick which Ali Hawkins executed from the left side. Hawkins' corner kick was initially punched out of danger by Pritzen but the ball went right to Nogueira at the top of the 18-yard line. Nogueira one-timed the ball into the lower right corner on a line drive with UNC junior forward Jessica McDonald making sure she stepped out of the way of the rocket. The goal was Nogueira's fifth of the season.
Although the Tar Heels were able to rocket 15 shots at Pritzen in the first half, besides Nogueira's successful strike in the 12th minute, UNC only forced the Clemson goalie to make two saves in the first half. The Tar Heels had several great looks in the first half at empty nets but several times just missed adding to their lead by a matter of inches.
Carolina salted the game away early in the second half with two quick goals. The quick tallies allowed the Tar Heels to rest their starters in advance of a big game at No. 8 Maryland Sunday while also allowing the entire roster to play in the final home game of the season.
Jessica McDonald scored her team-leading eighth goal of the season at the 51:54 mark of the game. Casey Nogueira won a ball in the left side of the box and pushed it to the right side to the unmarked McDonald. The junior from Glendale, Ariz. gathered the ball in and placed a perfect shot into the upper right side for a 2-0 lead.
Nogueira finished off the scoring in the match less than two minutes later at the 53:48 mark. Rachel Givan took a free kick after an offside call against Clemson. The junior defender was well placed and found the head of sophomore forward Courtney Jones about 30 yards out. Jones made a brilliant volley, finding Nogueira as she slipped past the Clemson defense in stride and finished past the keeper one-on-one into the right side of the net.
UNC will close out its 2009 regular season when it plays at Maryland Sunday at 1 p.m. at Ludwig Field. The Terps are currently ranked No. 8 by Soccer America and No. 12 by the NSCAA. Maryland is 12-3-2 overall and 4-3-2 in the ACC after the Terps fell at home to Wake Forest 3-1 Thursday night.
