Tar Heels Post Clean Sheet In Avenging Last Year’s Loss to UCF

Sunday, August 26

Chapel Hill, N.C. (Finley South)

2 p.m.

North Carolina

3-0-1

UCF

0-2-0

UCF

North Carolina

Taylor Otto (#6) scored the game-winner off an assist by Rachael Dorwart (#9).

Tar Heels Post Clean Sheet In Avenging Last Year’s Loss to UCF

August 26, 2018 | Women's Soccer

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Otto scores for second straight game

By: Dave Lohse

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – In a statistically even game, Taylor Otto's first half goal proved to be the difference as fourth-ranked North Carolina defeated 23^rd-ranked UCF 1-0 in women's soccer action at Finley Fields South before a crowd of 844 sun-drenched fans Sunday afternoon.

The match finished off four home games in 10 days for the Tar Heels, all against teams coached by UNC alumnae. The Knights are coached by Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak, UNC Class of 1999. The Knights played in tough luck over the weekend in Chapel Hill, falling to Texas 2-1 in overtime Friday and 1-0 to the Tar Heels Sunday.

Carolina improved to 3-0-1 on the season while the Knights go back to Orlando 0-2. It was 366 days ago in Orlando that UCF defeated the Tar Heels 2-1 in double overtime in Orlando. In the process, Roberts Sahaydak became the first UNC alumna coach to defeat Tar Heel head coach Anson Dorrance in a head-to-head matchup.

In last year's match, UNC outshot the Knights but lost. The script was flipped on Sunday as the Knights outshot the Tar Heels 17-16, including 12-10 in the first half. UNC finished with a 7-6 edge in corner kicks.

The only goal of the game came at 15:08 as sophomore forward Taylor Otto scored for the second straight game. She also scored in last Wednesday's game against Texas, earning the Tar Heels a 1-1 tie in the game with the Longhorns after Carolina had fallen behind in the second minute of the game.

Otto scored her goal Sunday as she tapped in a rebound in the 16^th minute after an initial shot by freshman midfielder Rachael Dorwart was blocked.

UCF took 17 shots in the game, including eight by Stefanie Sanders and six by Dina Orschmann. UNC's 16 shots were distributed amongst nine players with Dorwart and Bridgette Andrzejewski each taking four shots.

Both teams struggled with keeping their shots on frame. UNC placed seven of its 16 shots on goal while just six of 17 UCF shot efforts were on frame. Nevertheless, UNC improved its on frame percentage from last Wednesday when just six of 20 shots against Texas were on goal.

Samantha Leshnak played the first half in goal for the Tar Heels and made five saves while freshman Claudia Dickey played the second half and made one save. Leshnak's five saves were one short of her career high of six set against Duke in the 2017 season opener, a 2-1 overtime win for UNC. She also had five saves in a 1-0 loss at Penn State last season. Vera Varis played all 90 minutes in goal for the Knights, making five saves.

UNC returns to action Thursday when it plays Providence at 4:30 p.m. at the Duke Nike Classic at Koskinen Stadium in Durham, N.C. The match will be nationally televised on ACC Network Extra. The Friars are 3-0 this season with wins over Holy Cross 2-0, Fairleigh Dickinson 1-0 and Hartford 2-0.