Russo & Otto Lead Tar Heels Past Cardinals In Battle Of ACC Unbeatens

Saturday, September 29

Cary, N.C. (WakeMed Soccer Park)

12:30 p.m.

North Carolina

9-2-1,ACC 4-0

Louisville

9-2,ACC 3-1

Louisville

North Carolina

Alessia Russo (#19) had a brace in Carolina's win over Louisville

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

Russo & Otto Lead Tar Heels Past Cardinals In Battle Of ACC Unbeatens

September 29, 2018 | Women's Soccer

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Tar Heels stand as ACC's only unbeaten team.

By: Dave Lohse

CARY, N.C. – Sophomores Alessia Russo and Taylor Otto each scored a pair of goals to spark the North Carolina women's soccer team offensively as the Tar Heels defeated Louisville 5-1 Saturday afternoon at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Heading into the game both the Cardinals and the Tar Heels were undefeated in ACC play and neither team had allowed a goal in a conference match. But all that went out the window in the early stages of the match. After Louisville scored on a counter attack in the sixth minute, the Tar Heels answered with two goals just 3:20 apart in the 16^th and 20^th minutes en route to scoring the final five goals of the game.

With the win, Carolina improved to 9-2-1 overall and 4-0 in the ACC. The Tar Heels are now the only unbeaten and untied team in league play as the ACC season heads into its midway point. Louisville saw its four-game winning streak come to an end and the Cardinals are now 9-2 overall and 3-1 in the league.

The five goals were the most scored by the Tar Heels in a game since September 30, 2017 when UNC beat Syracuse 7-0 at WakeMed Soccer Park. Louisville had allowed only six goals this season in its first 10 games but surrendered five goals in the first 49 minutes of Saturday's match, all in a span of less than 35 minutes.

UNC controlled play off the opening whistle with Alessia Russo sending a curling shot off the cross bar at 1:34 of the match. Just over three minutes later, the Cardinals capitalized on a Tar Heel turnover at midfield as Brooklyn Rivers gathered in a ball on the right sideline and quickly shifted fields to an open Emina Ekic ,who dribbled in on a breakaway to score from 15 yards out in the left side of the box. Ekic sent the ball into the right side of the goal past UNC starting goalkeeper Claudia Dickey.

About seven minutes later, Louisville had an enormous opportunity to go up two goals. On a scramble off a corner kick, Ekic found herself alone in the center part of the field about 20 yards out. Her strike hit the cross bar's upper right corner before bouncing off Dickey and over the end line for another corner kick.

Given the reprieve, the Tar Heels took full advantage and dominated the rest of the first half, outshooting the Cardinals 10-5 in the opening 45 minutes. In the 16^th minute, UNC midfielder Taylor Otto was fouled about 26 yards away from goal in the center of the pitch. Alessia Russo stepped up and drove her direct free kick past the wall and into the lower right part of the frame off the fingertips of Louisville goalkeeper Gabrielle Kouzelos for her second goal of the year.

Less than four minutes later, UNC seized the lead for good on the niftiest goal of the day. Brooke Bingham sent a ball from the defensive end that Dorian Bailey headed toward the Cardinals' goal and into the path of Russo. The sophomore forward from England split two defenders and finished from inside the box past the Louisville keeper, going far post for her third goal of the season. It also proved to be the game-winning goal.

The Tar Heels made it 3-1 at the 28:59 mark of the match off a corner kick. Lotte Wubben-Moy's delivery went through the box to Julia Ashley who one-touched it to Taylor Otto on the end line to the right of the goal. Otto sent a low cross to Dorian Bailey who finished from in close in the center of the box for her first goal of the season.

At the 33:11 mark, Russo was taken down in the penalty box, rewarding Carolina with just its second penalty kick of the season. Taylor Otto stepped to the spot and delivered into the left side of the frame for her third goal of the campaign.

Carolina was rewarded another penalty kick with at the 48:44 mark after Bridgette Andrzejewski was fouled in the penalty box. Otto again converted, finishing with authority inside the right post to make the final margin 5-1.

The Tar Heels were able to play 26 players in the game with both Annie Kingman and Maggie Bill returning from injuries to play as reserves. In addition, Kasey Parker saw five minutes of playing time, seeing her first action after being sidelined by injuries since midway through the 2016 season.

UNC finished with a 13-8 advantages in shots on goal. That included an 8-3 advantage in shots on frame. The Tar Heels had six corner kicks to three for the Cardinals.

Kouzelos played all 90 minutes in goal for Louisville, making four saves while allowing five goals. Dickey and Samantha Leshnak each played one half for the Tar Heels. Leshnak made a pair of saves for UNC.

The win was the first ever for Carolina over Louisville. The series is now tied at 1-1-1 since the first game in the series in 2015.

The Tar Heels now have three straight ACC road encounters ahead before finishing the regular season with three straight home games. The road trip kicks off on Thursday, October 4 when UNC plays at Notre Dame at 7 p.m. The game will be nationally telecast on ACC Network Extra.