University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Virginia Tech
#3 Tar Heels Outlast #9 Hokies 2-1
September 20, 2015 | Women's Soccer
BLACKSBURG, VA. – In a match where scoring opportunities were hard to come by the third-ranked University of North Carolina women's soccer team defeated ninth-ranked Virginia Tech 2-1 Saturday night at Thompson Field.
The Tar Heels were limited to just two shots in the second half by Virginia Tech but it was Katie Bowen's goal in the 61st minute which lifted the Tar Heels to the victory over the Hokies. Carolina improves to 8-0-1 on the season and 1-0 in the ACC while Virginia Tech is now 8-1-1 and 0-1 in the ACC.
Bowen's goal at 60:18 was the difference in the game as she finished off a nice passing combination to put the Tar Heels up 2-1. Cameron Castleberry sent a through ball to the right side to Jessie Scarpa who gathered it in and sent a cross to the middle of the box where Bowen finished from 12 yards.
The Tar Heel goal came just 13 minutes after Murielle Tiernan had tied the game for Virginia Tech at 47:51 with a shot from distance into the upper right corner of the frame past UNC goalkeeper Lindsey Harris who came on for the Tar Heels at halftime. Just three minutes later, Virginia Tech had a couple of good chances in the box to take the lead but Harris stuffed both to keep the game equalized.
The Tar Heels outshot the Hokies 7-2 in the first half and carried a 1-0 lead into intermission. Three of the Tar Heel shots were on goal with Joanna Boyles putting the Tar Heels up 1-0 with 24:05 left in the half. It was Boyles' second goal of the season and came off Dorian Bailey's third assist of the campaign.
The Tar Heels earned a corner kick and after Alexa Newfield's initial service was cleared out, UNC scored on the secondary buildup. The Tar Heels got the ball to Dorian Bailey 20 yards out on the right side and her pass found Boyles in stride 25 yards out in the center of the field. The Tar Heel junior midfielder from Raleigh then crushed a shot top shelf past Virginia Tech goalkeeper Kaylyn Smith. It was the first goal Virginia Tech had conceded in the first half all season.
The Hokies almost got the equalizer five minutes later when a shot from distance by Ashley Meier was parried off the cross bar by UNC goalkeeper Bryane Heaberlin before Paige Nielsen came in to clear the ball off the goal line and out of danger.
The two teams combined for only 15 shots with nine for UNC and six for Virginia Tech. The Tar Heels had five corner kicks to two for the Hokies. UNC finished with three saves (Heaberlin one, Harris two) and Kaylyn Smith had two saves for Virginia Tech.
Carolina returns to action next Thursday when it hosts Syracuse at Fetzer Field at 7 p.m. The game will be telecast on ESPN3 and WatchESPN.
