University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Maryland
Defense Shines As No. 4 Tar Heels Edge No. 8 Maryland
November 1, 2009 | Women's Soccer
Nov. 1, 2009
COLLEGE PARK, MD. - The fourth-ranked North Carolina women's soccer team ended its 2009 regular season with a key Atlantic Coast Conference victory, edging No. 8 Maryland 1-0 before a crowd of 1,217 at Ludwig Field for the Terrapins' Senior Day.
After dropping a pair of games last weekend, the Tar Heels bounced back this week to go 2-0 and finish the regular season 14-3-1 overall and 7-3 in the ACC. Maryland fell to 12-4-2 overall and 4-4-2 in the ACC with the loss.
Carolina got the only goal it needed off the head of sophomore midfielder Maria Lubrano at 6:59 of the match. Junior defender Rachel Givan took a corner kick from the left side of the pitch and sent it to the far post where Lubrano had positioned herself. Lubrano nodded the ball back across the frame and snuck it inside the far left post for her second career goal. Her first career marker came earlier this season in UNC's 2-1 overtime win over Duke.
After not having notched a point in the first 16 games of the season, Givan now has assists on the past two UNC goals. She assisted on the final goal of the game, scored by Casey Nogueira, against Clemson Thursday night in Chapel Hill and then had the game-winning assist in today's match.
UNC outshot the Terrapins on the afternoon 22-9. Senior Mary Casey of Maryland finished her home regular-season career with a nine-save effort. Carolina senior goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris made four saves while recording her sixth solo shutout of the season. UNC has 11 shutouts overall in 18 games.
Harris and the UNC flat back three defense of Givan and seniors Kristi Eveland and Whitney Engen went all 90 minutes as did senior midfielder Tobin Heath who just returned to the team for this match after being gone with the U.S. Women's National Team for a friendly in Germany the past 10 days. The Tar Heels went 1-2 with Heath gone so her presence on the field was an inspiring lift for the Heels in a tough road atmosphere against Maryland's revitalized program.
Carolina almost took the lead at the 3:45 mark as Jessica McDonald's throw-in found Meghan Klingenberg inside the six-yard-line but Klingenberg's shot hit the crossbar and skipped over. At 5:28, Jessica McDonald took a cross from Casey Nogueira on the right side and had a clear shot at Casey but the senior netminder for the Terps turned it away.
It was just over a minute later when the Heels scored with Givan feeding Lubrano for what would end up being the only goal of the game. McDonald almost made it 2-0 at 17:51 after taking a through ball from Tobin Heath. Casey came off her line to challenge McDonald who just pushed her shot wide to the right. UNC continued to put pressure on and at 22:18 the Tar Heels found their second crossbar of the day, this one off a shot by Casey Nogueira from 24 yards out.
At 28:05, UNC freshman Amber Brooks took a shot that was saved by Maryland midfielder Maureen Dowling from finding the back of the frame.
The Heels had another good opportunity at 49:03 as Nogueira back-heeled a shot that Mary Casey made a diving save on.
Maryland almost got the tying marker at 60:13 as Maryland's Molly Dreska had her shot tipped over the crossbar by Ashlyn Harris for a corner kick. Jasmyne Spencer had crossed the ball into the box where it was played on by Caitlin McDowell to Dreska.
Carolina will now have three short days to rest before beginning play in the 2009 ACC Women's Soccer Tournament Wednesday at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. Seedings, matchups and game times for Wednesday will be announced by the ACC either later this evening or Monday.
