UNC Advances To ACC Tournament Final For Third Straight Year

Friday, November 2

Cary, N.C. (WakeMed Soccer Park)

5:30 p.m.

North Carolina

17-2-1

Clemson

12-8-0

Clemson

North Carolina

Photo by: Liz Condo, theACC.com

November 2, 2018 | Women's Soccer

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Dorwart scores game-winner for Tar Heels

By: Dave Lohse

CARY, N.C. – Three Tar Heel substitutes combined to produce the game-winning goal as the third-ranked University of North Carolina women's soccer team defeated 23^rd-ranked Clemson 1-0 Friday night in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament semifinals at Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. A crowd of 2,092 fans was on hand to see the Tar Heels prevail against the Tigers by a 1-0 score for the second time this season. UNC also beat the Tigers by a 1-0 margin in the regular-season meeting in Clemson.

The game marked the sixth time in the last seven meetings between the two teams in which the Tar Heels have prevailed by a single goal and in the other meeting in that time the two squads fought to a 1-1 tie.

North Carolina improved to 17-2-1 on the season with the victory while Clemson fell to 12-8 with the loss.

UNC will play seventh-ranked Florida State in the ACC Tournament final on Sunday at 12 noon in a match to be nationally televised on ESPNU. The Seminoles defeated 11^th-ranked Virginia 3-1 in Friday's other semifinal game.

The Tar Heels played brilliantly in the first half, outshooting the Tigers 8-1 and taking all seven corner kicks in the game to that point. But the Tar Heels had nothing to show for it on the scoreboard.

The second half was more even statistically with Clemson outshooting Carolina 3-2 in the second 45 minutes and both teams taking two corner kicks. But it took just one moment of brilliance by a trio of Tar Heels to produce the goal that sent Carolina to its third successive ACC Tournament championship game appearance after a string of six straight years in which UNC was unable to get to the final game.

The goal came at the 64:46 mark of the match off the foot of freshman forward Rachael Dorwart. Senior Annie Kingman won a ball in the midfield and sent a pass down the left side to freshman forward Rachel Jones who dribbled along the end line. Jones crossed from the left side to Dorwart on the near post and the freshman from Pennsylvania redirected the ball past Clemson goalkeeper Sandy MacIver for the game-winner.

It was Dorwart's second goal of the season and her first since she scored in the season opener against Illinois on August 16. Jones and Kingman each recorded their third assists of the season on the play.

The Tar Heels pressured the Clemson goal early and often in the game. Bridgette Andrzewjeski sent a header just high at 7:12 of the game. Just less than two minutes later, Madison Schultz sent a cross from the left side which Andrzejewski headed off the cross bar. The ball fell to Alex Kimball who sent her effort to score on the rebound just wide of the left post. UNC took the next five shots of the first half including a shot from distance by Annie Kingman at 28:46 that went just wide to the right. Clemson would get its first shot of the match with four seconds left in the first half as Grace Wagner's effort sailed wide.

After UNC took the lead in the 65^th minute, Clemson almost got the equalizer in the 70^th minute. After a corner kick by the Tigers, Kimber Haley took a shot from distance that clanged off the cross bar and Dani Antieau's rebound shot was cleared off the goal line by a Tar Heel defender.

The Tar Heels were able to ride out the rest of the match with a strong defensive effort, setting up a meeting with the Seminoles in the final match. In the regular season meeting, UNC defeated Florida State 1-0 on September 14 in Tallahassee.

UNC outshot the Tigers 10-4 in the match and had an edge in corner kicks 9-2. Samantha Leshnak went the whole way in goal for the Tar Heels, improving her goalkeeper record to 11-0 and earning her sixth solo shutout of the campaign. Sandy MacIver played the whole way in goal for Clemson and made one save.