UNC Finishes ACC Regular Season Road Docket Unbeaten

Thursday, October 19

Blacksburg, Va.

7:00 p.m.

North Carolina

12-2,8-0

Virginia Tech

7-5-4,1-4-3

North Carolina

Virginia Tech

Abby Elinsky's goal in the 74th minute provided separation in UNC's 4-0 victory.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

October 19, 2017 | Women's Soccer

Box Score UNC-Virginia Tech Box Score Watch Highlights on You Tube

Tar Heels blank Virginia Tech 4-0.

By: Dave Lohse

BLACKSBURG, VA. – Julia Ashley and Alea Hyatt scored their first career goals and Abby Elinsky added her first goal of the season as the University of North Carolina women's soccer team won its eighth match in a row, defeating Virginia Tech 4-0 Thursday night at Thompson Field. Bridgette Andrzejewski added the fourth goal for the Tar Heels who improved to 12-2 overall and 8-0 in the ACC.

The Tar Heels won all six of their ACC regular season road matches this season, going undefeated and untied in league play away from home for the first time since 2014. With Duke's 2-1 win at Boston College on Thursday night, both the Tar Heels and the Blue Devils remain tied atop the ACC standings, each at 8-0 with 24 points.

Carolina improved to 14-2 all-time against the Hokies and it has now won six in a row in the series. UNC is 6-2 all-time in Blacksburg, including wins in its last three trips after dropping back-to-back games in Blacksburg in 2009 and 2011.

The Tar Heels opened the scoring at 14:31 of the match on the first career goal by junior defender Julia Ashley. After a foul on the Hokies about 40 yards out near the left sideline, senior midfielder Joanna Boyles delivered a perfect ball into the box that found the head of Ashley about six yards out on the right side. She headed the ball off the underside of the cross bar and it bounced down over the goal line before a Hokie defender hurriedly cleared the ball out, but it was too late to prevent the Tar Heels from taking a 1-0 lead.

Carolina outshot the Hokies 7-2 in the first half but could not add to its lead. Those two shots would end up being the only two taken by Virginia Tech in the match as the Tar Heels held the Hokies without a shot in the final 72:55 of the game.

Carolina nearly added to its lead twice in the first 10 minutes of the second half but a shot from long range by Alessia Russo hit the right post in the 48^th minute and a shot by Bridgette Andrzejewski from the right side of the box was denied by the left post in the 55^th minute.

Carolina's defense was stout, however, not allowing the Hokies any good chances to equalize before the Tar Heels exploded for two goals in just 14 seconds in the 74^th minute. At 73:01, the Tar Heels scored again off a set piece as Abby Elinsky headed home a corner kick by Dorian Bailey. It was Elinsky's first goal of the season and the second goal of her Carolina career. The Tar Heels' first two goals Thursday, were scored, respectively, by UNC's starting right back and Carolina's starting left back.

Just 14 seconds after Elinsky had given the Tar Heels' some separation, Andrzejewski scored her fifth goal of the season after dribbling through a slew of Virginia Tech defenders before finishing inside the left post. Andrzejewski started at the right midfield spot after Emily Fox tore an ACL in Carolina's win at Boston College last Saturday.

Freshman Alea Hyatt, who started at forward in the spot Andrzejewski has played all season, finished off the scoring for Carolina at 86:09 for her first career goal. Fellow freshman forward Sydney Spruill set a perfect ball with pace along the ground into the penalty area and Hyatt ran on to it and redirected the ball to Virginia Tech goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn's left and into the goal. Spruill earned her first career assist on the goal.

The Tar Heels outshot the Hokies 17-2 and had a 7-3 edge in corner kicks. Mandy McGlynn made four saves for VT while allowing four goals while UNC goalkeeper Samantha Leshnak was not forced to make a save while recording her eighth solo shutout of the season and her sixth in ACC play. North Carolina improved to 12-2 overall and 8-0 in the ACC while the Hokies are 7-5-4 overall and 1-4-3 in the league.

Carolina returns to WakeMed Soccer Park's Koka Booth Stadium for its final two games of the regular season. UNC meets Louisville Sunday at 10 a.m. and then Notre Dame next Thursday at 6 p.m. The Cardinals come to town Sunday with a 9-6-1 record overall and 3-4-1 mark in the ACC. The Cardinals are coming off a 0-0 home tie with Wake Forest on Thursday. Louisville has won the only previous meeting against Carolina, winning 2-1 in overtime in 2015.