University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Miami
UNC Clinches ACC Tournament Spot With Win Over Canes
November 1, 2015 | Women's Soccer
CORAL GABLES, FLA. - The eighth-ranked University of North Carolina women's soccer team got an early goal from Summer Green and an insurance goal by Alexa Newfield as it defeated the University of Miami 2-0 Saturday night at Cobb Stadium. The win by the Tar Heels clinched a spot in the ACC Tournament semifinals for UNC next Friday at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.
UNC won its third match in a row to improve to 14-3-1 overall and finish the ACC regular season at 7-3-0. The Hurricanes finished their year at 5-12-0 overall and 2-8-0 in the ACC.
Carolina has won three in a row since a three-match losing streak at midseason and have posted back-to-back shutouts against Clemson and Miami. The Tar Heels are currently tied with Clemson for second place in the ACC standings behind regular season champion Virginia. Florida State plays Boston College Sunday in Tallahassee. A win by the Seminoles would move FSU into second place in the standings.
UNC put its stamp on Saturday night's win as Summer Green tallied her seventh goal of the season at the 2:10 mark. Megan Buckingham, starting her first game of the season, carried the ball deep into the Miami end, deked a defender on the end line and centered the ball perfectly to Green who finished from six yards out.
The Tar Heels outshot the Hurricanes 11-2 in the first half but could not get a second tally on the board as Catalina Perez made four first half saves for Miami. The Canes' only shot on goal in the first half came in the 21st minute by Ainsly Wolfinbarger but UNC starting goalkeeper Bryane Heaberlin gobbled it up to maintain the lead.
The Tar Heel pressure continued late in the half. Katie Bowen almost converted in the 36th minute as her shot from distance just missed the upper right 90. In the 40th minute, Joanna Boyles had a header off a corner kick by Annie Kingman go just high and Boyles had a good look from distance go wide left in the final minute.
Miami gained a little bit of momentum early in the second half and almost tied the game in the 52nd minute. A corner kick by Wolfinbarger from the right side went to the far post and found Erin McGovern who had a point blank shot on goal cleared off the line by the Tar Heel defense. The Canes got another shot at goal by Natalie Moik less than two minutes later but it went high.
Carolina then delivered the knockout blow at 54:39 after surviving the two Miami chances as Alexa Newfield scored her ninth goal of the season off an assist by Jessie Scarpa. The Tar Heels quickly worked the ball downfield and Scarpa muscled past a defender in the right side of the box before she crossed it perfectly to an open Newfield who finished into the left side of the goal past Perez.
Carolina almost added to the lead on a shot by Bowen in the 68th minute that went just wide of the right post and a point blank effort by Green in the 81st minute. Perez made the best of her six saves on the night in fighting off Green's shot from 12 yards away. Miami's last good look at goal came with 1:17 left to play but Amy Schmidt's shot went wide left.
UNC outshot the Hurricanes 21-7 overall including an edge of 8-2 in shots on goal. UNC had four corners kicks to two for Miami. Heaberlin and Lindsey Harris combined on the clean sheet for Carolina with each goalkeeper making one save.
The ACC will announce the official ACC Tournament bracket Sunday afternoon after the conclusion of all regular season play in the league.
