Tar Heels Rally For 3-1 Win At Pittsburgh

Sunday, October 13

Pittsburgh, Pa.

1 p.m.

North Carolina

12-1-1, 5-0-1

Pittsburgh

4-7-3, 1-3-2

North Carolina

Pittsburgh

Taylor Otto had the game-winner for the Tar Heels on Sunday

October 13, 2019 | Women's Soccer

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UNC moves into first place in ACC standings

By: Dave Lohse

PITTSBURGH, PA. – The third-ranked University of North Carolina women's soccer team rallied with three second-half goals to upend Pittsburgh 3-1 Sunday afternoon at Ambrose Urbanic Field.

The Tar Heel victory, coupled with Virginia's 1-0 double overtime victory at Florida State, moved UNC into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings for the first time this season. UNC improved to 12-1-1 overall on the campaign with the victory over the Panthers and to 5-0-1 in the ACC. The Panthers, who earned their first conference victory since 2016 last Thursday with an overtime win over Boston College, fell to 4-7-3 overall and 1-3-2 in the ACC.

Second-half goals by Brianna Pinto, Taylor Otto and Rachael Dorwart lifted the Tar Heels to the victory after the team had conceded a goal for the first time in ACC play in the 12^th minute of play.

UNC outshot the Panthers 28-3 in the match and had a 5-2 edge in corner kicks but a stout defensive effort by the Panthers kept the Tar Heels from finding the back of the net until the 49^th minute of the match. Amaia Pena played all 90 minutes in goal for the Panthers, making eight saves while allowing three goals. Marz Josephson played the first half in goal for the Tar Heels while Claudia Dickey played the second half. Dickey made two saves in the second half. Carolina had 12 shots on goal in the game while the Panthers put all three of their shots on frame.

Pitt took the lead in the first half at 11:58 of the match on the first goal of the season by Vildan Kardesler with assists by Amanda West and Anna Bout. Kardesler took a cross into the box from the left side of the pitch and finished from five yards out.

The first two goals of the game for the Tar Heels were both set up after forward Alessia Russo was fouled by the Panthers to set up free kicks deep in the offensive end for Carolina.

Lotte Wubben-Moy assisted on both goals on free kicks. Brianna Pinto notched her eighth goal of the season at 48:05 as Wubben-Moy's cross went over the defensive line for Pinto's finish from five yards out. Taylor Otto then recorded the game-winning goal at 55:39. Wubben-Moy again sent a free kick into a dangerous spot in the penalty box and Otto sent a looping shot into the upper right 90 of the goal for the lead.

Carolina added an insurance goal at 75:32 as Rachael Dorwart scored from about 12 yards out on the left side of the box, sending a shot to Pena's left and into the right side of the goal. Emily Fox sent a ball from just outside the penalty area to Alexis Strickland who one-touched it to her left to Dorwart who found herself free for the put away.

Next up for the Tar Heels is a match at Boston College on Thursday at 7 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on the ACC Network.

GAME NOTES

Carolina improved to 5-0 all-time against the Panthers. UNC is now 3-0 in the series in games played at Pitt.
Brianna Pinto's goal was her team-leading eighth of the campaign.
Both Taylor Otto and Rachael Dorwart scored their first goals of the season.
Lotte Wubben-Moy recorded a pair of assists, improving her season total to three. Emily Fox recorded her fifth assist. Fox, Bridgette Andrzejewski and Ru Mucherera each have five assists, one behind team leader Lois Joel who has six. Alexis Strickland recorded her second assist of the campaign.
The goal conceded by Carolina at 11:58 was the first allowed in ACC play this season by the Tar Heels. Carolina went 481 minutes and 58 seconds before UNC let in a goal in conference matches this season. Carolina had also gone 491 minutes and 20 seconds overall since allowing a goal by Arkansas in a 2-0 loss on September 15.
Carolina trailed the Panthers for 36 minutes and seven seconds of the match. This was only the third match in which Carolina trailed all season. The Tar Heels trailed 1-0 and 2-1 at Washington on August 29 before rallying for a 3-2 win. Carolina also trailed in the 2-0 loss at Arkansas on September 15.
UNC is now 26-0-3 in ACC regular season matches since a 1-0 loss at Notre Dame on October 14, 2016.