Pinto’s Goal Scoring & Passing Key In Tar Heels Win Over Orange

Sunday, October 7

Syracuse, N.Y.

1 p.m.

North Carolina

11-2-1, 6-0-0ACC

Syracuse

3-11-0, 0-6-0ACC

North Carolina

Syracuse

Brianna Pinto's one goal and three assists keyed a 7-1 Tar Heel win over Syracuse.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

Pinto’s Goal Scoring & Passing Key In Tar Heels Win Over Orange

October 7, 2018 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Watch Highlights on You Tube UNC vs. Syracuse Box Score (pdf)UNC vs. Syracuse Play by Play (pdf)

Tar Heels improve to 11-2-1 overall and 6-0 in the ACC.

By: Dave Lohse

SYRACUSE, N.Y.. – Brianna Pinto assisted on the first two goals of the game and added an insurance goal in the 69^th minute to boost the UNC lead to three goals as the third-ranked North Carolina women's soccer team defeated Syracuse 7-1 Sunday afternoon at the SU Soccer Stadium.

Carolina improved to 11-2-1 with the victory and is now 6-0 in the ACC. Syracuse is 3-11 and 0-6 in conference play. Carolina has won six in a row with four ACC regular season contests remaining.

Altogether, Pinto finished with five points in the game as she assisted on the Tar Heels' goal in the 79^th minute as well. Seven different Tar Heels scored goals – Bridgette Andrzejewski, Brianna Pinto, Morgan Goff, Julia Ashley, Jessie Scarpa, Zoe Redei and Alex Kimball. Pinto had three assists in the game and Taylor Otto added a pair of assists for Carolina.

Carolina opened the scoring at the 4:52 mark as Bridgette Andrzejewski headed home her third goal of the season off a brilliant free kick by Brianna Pinto. After a foul on the Orange, Pinto took a free kick from about 30 yards out and she put it right on the top of the head of Andrzejewski who finished across frame into the right side of the goal.

UNC doubled its lead at 24:04 on Julia Ashley's third goal of the season with Pinto again assisting. Pinto took a corner kick from the right side and sent it on a rope to Ashley who was positioned just inside the left post. Ashley headed the ball into the roof of the goal for a 2-0 Tar Heel lead.

After Meghan Root scored for Syracuse at the 27:12 mark off an assist by Kate Hostage, UNC answered with its third goal of the game. Alex Kimball finished from 10 yards out in the center of the box off assists by Rachel Dorwart and Taylor Otto with the official time of the goal being 34:07.

The Tar Heels scored three goals after the midway point of the second half to break the game wide open. UNC tallied four goals in a span of less than 16 minutes from the 69^th minute to the 85^th minute to turn a 3-1 lead into a 7-1 final.

At 68:54, Brianna Pinto scored off an assist by Jessie Scarpa to make it 4-1. Scarpa made a nice run into the deep right corner and fed Pinto who was on the doorstep just outside three yards for the putaway. Pinto redirected the ball into the back of the goal to make it 4-1 Tar Heels.

At 78:44, Morgan Goff tallied her first goal of the season, finishing a series of passes off a corner kick. Annie Kingman took the corner kick from the left side and found Brianna Pinto's head in the middle of the box. Pinto sent it on to Taylor Otto on the right end line. Otto sent it back into the center of the box for a nifty finish by Goff.

The Tar Heels added to their lead at 80:23 on Zoe Redei's third goal of the season, assisted by Mary Elliott McCabe. It was the second assist of the year for McCabe. McCabe beat defenders on the right side of the box and centered to Redei for the putaway.

Carolina's final goal came at 84:35 as Jessie Scarpa scored her first goal of the year, tallying on a rebound shot after Annie Kingman's initial shot off a free kick was initially saved by SU goalkeeper Jordan Harris.

UNC outshot the Orange 29-5 in the game, including an 18-1 edge in shots on goal. UNC had seven corner kicks to one for the Orange.

Carolina returns to action next Saturday at 7 p.m. when it plays at Virginia Tech in a game to be nationally televised on ACC Network Extra.