Three Second-Half Goals Power UNC Past Miami

Thursday, October 5

Coral Gables, Fla.

7:00 p.m.

North Carolina

9-2-0, 5-0-0ACC

Miami

4-6-0, 0-4-0ACC

North Carolina

Miami

Julia Ashley led a defense which posted its fourth shutout in the last five games.

Photo by: Keith Lucas

October 5, 2017 | Women's Soccer

Box Score UM-UNC Box Score Watch Highlights

Alessia Russo scores her fourth game-winning goal.

By: Dave Lohse

CORAL GABLES, FLA. – The fifth-ranked University of North Carolina women's soccer team scored three second-half goals to prevail against the Miami Hurricanes 3-0 Thursday night at Cobb Stadium.

Freshman Alessia Russo scored her team-leading fourth game-winning goal of the season and Madison Schultz and Bridgette Andrzejewski added insurance goals as Carolina won for the fifth straight game, improving to 9-2 overall and 5-0 in the ACC. Samantha Leshnak posted her fourth shutout in ACC play and her sixth of the campaign. Miami fell to 4-6 with the loss and the Hurricanes are now 0-4 in the ACC.

Despite outshooting Miami 10-4 in the first half and taking all six corner kicks, North Carolina went to halftime tied with the Hurricanes. Phallon Tullis-Joyce made five saves in the first half to keep the Tar Heels off the scoreboard.

UNC struck for the game-winning goal less than three minutes into the second half as freshman forward Alessia Russo scored at the 47:34 mark. After taking a pass in the midfield, Russo showed her skills as she dribbled through several defenders into the right side of the penalty area and finished to the far corner from 12 yards. The goal was her fifth of the season and her fourth game-winning tally.

Carolina added to its lead at the 74:29 mark when Madison Schultz scored for the second straight game. Julia Ashley sent a low ball with pace into the penalty area from around 30 yards out and Schultz redirected it into the lower right portion of the net to make it 2-0. It was Schultz's second goal of the season and Ashley's third assist.

North Carolina finished off the scoring at the 88:27 mark when sophomore forward Bridgette Andrzejewski intercepted a ball about 35 yards from goal, quickly beat the back line and dribbled to the top of the penalty area, putting her shot into the lower right corner past Tullis-Joyce. Andrejewski's goal on the breakaway was her second of the season.

Carolina finished with a 25-6 edge in shots and a pronounced 11-1 edge in shots on goal. The Tar Heels had a 9-1 edge in corner kicks. Tullis-Joyce finished with eight saves for the Hurricanes while Samantha Leshnak made one save in posting her sixth shutout.

The Tar Heels return to action on Sunday when they play the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at 5 p.m. at Dennie W. Spry Soccer Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C. The game will be nationally webcast on ACC Network Extra and also broadcast in the Triangle area on WCHL Radio (97.9 FM, 1360 AM).

The Demon Deacons are 9-2-2 overall and 3-1-1 in the ACC after battling to a scoreless tie with Virginia Tech Thursday night in Winston-Salem.

With the victory, UNC leads the all-time series with Miami 13-2. The Tar Heels have won eight straight games in the series and have won four games in a row in Coral Gables since back-to-back losses there in 2007 and 2009.

Heading into the game at Wake Forest, Duke and North Carolina remain tied atop the ACC standings with 15 points each.