Andrzejewski’s Last Second Goal Earns Tar Heels Tie With Notre Dame

Thursday, October 26

Cary, N.C.

6:00 p.m.

North Carolina

12-2-2,ACC 8-0-2

Notre Dame

9-5-4,ACC 5-3-2

OT 3

OT 4

Notre Dame

North Carolina

Tar Heels celebrate goal by Andrzejewski (center) which tied game with 15 seconds left in regulation.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

Andrzejewski’s Last Second Goal Earns Tar Heels Tie With Notre Dame

October 26, 2017 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery UNC-Notre Dame Box Score Watch Andrzejewski's Goal Dorrance Post Game Audio (mp3)

Tar Heels rally to earn draw with Fighting Irish

By: Dave Lohse

CARY, N.C. – The fourth-ranked University of North Carolina women's soccer team was just a quarter of a minute away from its first Atlantic Coast Conference loss of the season but Bridgette Andrzejewski scored with just 15 seconds left in regulation and the Tar Heels went on to earn a 1-1 tie with 24^th-ranked Notre Dame Thursday night at WakeMed Soccer Park.

With the tie, the Tar Heels finished the regular season with a 12-2-2 overall record and an 8-0-2 mark in the ACC. Notre Dame saw its two-game winning streak end and finishes its regular season at 9-5-4 overall and 5-3-2 in the ACC.

North Carolina is the No. 2 seed in the upcoming ACC Tournament and will play host to No. 7 seed Florida State Sunday at 1 p.m. at WakeMed Soccer Park. Tickets are already on sale on GoHeels.com in the Ticket Center. Prices are $10 for adults, $5 for children and free to UNC and FSU students showing valid student IDs. Other quarterfinal games on Sunday have No. 8 Boston College at No. 1 Duke, No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 3 NC State and No. 5 Wake Forest at No. 4 Virginia.

Notre Dame seemed destined to spoil Senior Night for six Tar Heels playing in their last regular season home game. But Alessia Russo's shot in the final minute of regulation was blocked over the end line for a corner kick by the Notre Dame defense. Jessie Scarpa quickly sprinted to the right corner flag and sent a ball on a line drive into the middle of the box where Bridgette Andrzejewski skied over the defense and headed the ball off the underside of the cross bar and into the back of the net for her sixth goal of the season with just 15 seconds remaining.

Up until that point Notre Dame had controlled most of the game and limited the Tar Heels to efforts from long range. The Fighting Irish outshot the Tar Heels 8-4 in the opening half and had several good chances to score only two see Samantha Leshnak turn away two shots and the Tar Heel defense force hurried shots on other occasions.

Carolina's best chance in the opening period came on a long distance effort by Alessia Russo which was knocked away from goal by Notre Dame goalkeeper Lexi Nicholas.

Notre Dame broke through to take the lead at the 57:24 mark on a brilliant combination of passes built up through the midfield. Natalie Jacobs fed a ball to Sandra Yu who in turn delivered a picture perfect through ball to Jennifer Westendorf who finished one-on-one against Tar Heel goalkeeper Samantha Leshnak for a 1-0 Fighting Irish lead.

Notre Dame would not take another shot in regulation but the Tar Heels were being shut down by the Fighting Irish defense and they were not getting their characteristic good looks on net. Just shortly before Andrzejewski's goal she also had a look on corner kick only to see her effort sail wide left.

In overtime, the Tar Heels outshot Notre Dame 3-1 and Nicholas had two overtime saves including one by Nicholas on a free kick from 24 yards by Joanna Boyles in the final minute of the second overtime period.

Carolina finished the game with a 12-10 edge in shots and a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks. Nicholas had five saves for the Fighting Irish, who are now 7-17-3 all-time against Carolina. Samantha Leshnak finished with three saves for UNC. It was a physical game with Notre Dame committing 14 fouls and North Carolina being whistled for 13.

North Carolina will play host to a quarterfinal game in the ACC Women's Soccer Championship Tournament Sunday at 1 p.m. at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Students from any ACC school are free but they must present a valid student ID at the gate. Fans are encouraged to buy tickets in advance in the ticket center on GoHeels.com.