Tar Heels celebrate game-winner against USC.
Photo by: Dana Gentry
GoHeels Exclusive: Fearlessness Fuels Final Four Fortunes
December 1, 2019 | Women's Soccer, Featured Writers
By Pat James, GoHeels.com
The moment Southern California forward Penelope Hocking's shot found the back of the net, giving the Trojans a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute of Friday's NCAA quarterfinal match, Lotte Wubben-Moy muttered a few choice words.
Four other times this season, the North Carolina women's soccer team trailed. But never had the Tar Heels fallen behind in their first 12 games at Dorrance Field. Nor had they even conceded a goal at the sparkling new facility.
So, when Hocking scored, Wubben-Moy, one of UNC's three captains along with Taylor Otto and Alessia Russo, expressed some frustration. Then, the junior defender changed her tone.
"We knew it was coming," she told her teammates. "We deserve it, and want it more than them."
Carolina needed all 90 minutes to prove that. But Wubben-Moy's words ultimately held true, as the second-ranked Tar Heels outlasted ninth-ranked USC 3-2 to earn their 29th NCAA College Cup appearance in the 38-year history of the tournament.
UNC is now 28-1-2 all-time in NCAA quarterfinal games. Despite that, Anson Dorrance always says he dreads playing in this round. Friday's wild back-and-forth affair certainly didn't change his opinion.
"The one I absolutely hate the most is the quarterfinal because you're within touching distance of the final four," he said. "For me, getting to the final four is everything. If you get there, even if you get blown up, at least you're at the final party – and who doesn't want to be invited to the final party? For me, that will be a lot more relaxing than today was."
Almost anyone on the Carolina roster would agree. For as big as it seemed in the moment, allowing an early goal wasn't the most challenging obstacle the Tar Heels faced.
After pulling ahead, the Trojans maintained their lead for about 22 minutes, during which UNC created several chances. Finally, in the 39th minute, Emily Fox tied the score, recovering a loose ball and evading five defenders before finishing inside the right post. That goal exemplified how exceptional a player Fox, who's capped with the full U.S. national team, really is.
But Carolina eventually had to find a way to win without her.
With the score still tied at 1-1 in the 54th minute, Fox was ushering a ball over her goal line when she and Hocking collided. Both players went down. But Fox never got up, and ended up being carried off the field.
Dorrance didn't have an update on Fox's status after the game. Her teammates didn't know how she was doing, either. All they knew was that they had dedicated their performance to her.
"We said we were going to play for Emily," Maycee Bell said. "She obviously took on the whole team on the first goal. She's an amazing player, so it's a hard loss to lose her at that time. But we just wanted to play for her and make it (to the final four) for her."
As emotional as the Tar Heels were after Fox went down, they showed no signs of it, taking a 2-1 lead on Brianna Pinto's header just 65 seconds later. At last, they had captured momentum. But less than seven minutes later, USC tied the score at 2-2 on a goal by Natalie Jacobs.
At that point, UNC could've easily sulked. Instead, it responded.
Carolina earned a free kick from about 30 yards out in the 69th minute, and as she's done all season, Wubben-Moy lined up for it confidently. The London native took three quick steps, then lofted the ball into the box. There it found the head of Bell, who redirected it into the lower left corner of the goal with pinpoint accuracy.
"Me and Lotte just kind of locked eyes on that and she told me to scoot in and I scooted in," said Bell of the eventual game-winner. "And I just ran and it kind of fell on my head. It worked out."
As if there was ever any doubt, at least in Wubben-Moy's mind.
"I believe in this team," she said. "It's built on the core value of character. We believe in resilience and we believe in nobleness. And honestly, I wasn't scared for one minute. If I can voice that on the field and get everyone calm, then that's what I'll do. And that's what I did today. I'm glad I could (also) contribute the assist on the game-winner."
With the win, the Tar Heels advance to the NCAA semifinals in San Jose, California, where they'll face Washington State at 7 p.m. Friday. They also move one step closer to fulfilling their season-long mission of returning to the national championship game.
It was on that stage a year ago that UNC lost 1-0 to Florida State. That defeat has served as motivation throughout this season. And it'll continue to this week, perhaps now more than ever.
"I said this at the beginning of the season to The Daily Tar Heel, I want redemption," Wubben-Moy said. "I sort of isolate that loss in the final four (in 2018) to an instance that was involved with myself. So, I'm doing everything I can to get the team back there. As you can hear in my voice, it means so much to me and I want to do it for this team."
The moment Southern California forward Penelope Hocking's shot found the back of the net, giving the Trojans a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute of Friday's NCAA quarterfinal match, Lotte Wubben-Moy muttered a few choice words.
Four other times this season, the North Carolina women's soccer team trailed. But never had the Tar Heels fallen behind in their first 12 games at Dorrance Field. Nor had they even conceded a goal at the sparkling new facility.
So, when Hocking scored, Wubben-Moy, one of UNC's three captains along with Taylor Otto and Alessia Russo, expressed some frustration. Then, the junior defender changed her tone.
"We knew it was coming," she told her teammates. "We deserve it, and want it more than them."
Carolina needed all 90 minutes to prove that. But Wubben-Moy's words ultimately held true, as the second-ranked Tar Heels outlasted ninth-ranked USC 3-2 to earn their 29th NCAA College Cup appearance in the 38-year history of the tournament.
UNC is now 28-1-2 all-time in NCAA quarterfinal games. Despite that, Anson Dorrance always says he dreads playing in this round. Friday's wild back-and-forth affair certainly didn't change his opinion.
"The one I absolutely hate the most is the quarterfinal because you're within touching distance of the final four," he said. "For me, getting to the final four is everything. If you get there, even if you get blown up, at least you're at the final party – and who doesn't want to be invited to the final party? For me, that will be a lot more relaxing than today was."
Almost anyone on the Carolina roster would agree. For as big as it seemed in the moment, allowing an early goal wasn't the most challenging obstacle the Tar Heels faced.
After pulling ahead, the Trojans maintained their lead for about 22 minutes, during which UNC created several chances. Finally, in the 39th minute, Emily Fox tied the score, recovering a loose ball and evading five defenders before finishing inside the right post. That goal exemplified how exceptional a player Fox, who's capped with the full U.S. national team, really is.
But Carolina eventually had to find a way to win without her.
With the score still tied at 1-1 in the 54th minute, Fox was ushering a ball over her goal line when she and Hocking collided. Both players went down. But Fox never got up, and ended up being carried off the field.
Dorrance didn't have an update on Fox's status after the game. Her teammates didn't know how she was doing, either. All they knew was that they had dedicated their performance to her.
"We said we were going to play for Emily," Maycee Bell said. "She obviously took on the whole team on the first goal. She's an amazing player, so it's a hard loss to lose her at that time. But we just wanted to play for her and make it (to the final four) for her."
As emotional as the Tar Heels were after Fox went down, they showed no signs of it, taking a 2-1 lead on Brianna Pinto's header just 65 seconds later. At last, they had captured momentum. But less than seven minutes later, USC tied the score at 2-2 on a goal by Natalie Jacobs.
At that point, UNC could've easily sulked. Instead, it responded.
Carolina earned a free kick from about 30 yards out in the 69th minute, and as she's done all season, Wubben-Moy lined up for it confidently. The London native took three quick steps, then lofted the ball into the box. There it found the head of Bell, who redirected it into the lower left corner of the goal with pinpoint accuracy.
"Me and Lotte just kind of locked eyes on that and she told me to scoot in and I scooted in," said Bell of the eventual game-winner. "And I just ran and it kind of fell on my head. It worked out."
As if there was ever any doubt, at least in Wubben-Moy's mind.
"I believe in this team," she said. "It's built on the core value of character. We believe in resilience and we believe in nobleness. And honestly, I wasn't scared for one minute. If I can voice that on the field and get everyone calm, then that's what I'll do. And that's what I did today. I'm glad I could (also) contribute the assist on the game-winner."
With the win, the Tar Heels advance to the NCAA semifinals in San Jose, California, where they'll face Washington State at 7 p.m. Friday. They also move one step closer to fulfilling their season-long mission of returning to the national championship game.
It was on that stage a year ago that UNC lost 1-0 to Florida State. That defeat has served as motivation throughout this season. And it'll continue to this week, perhaps now more than ever.
"I said this at the beginning of the season to The Daily Tar Heel, I want redemption," Wubben-Moy said. "I sort of isolate that loss in the final four (in 2018) to an instance that was involved with myself. So, I'm doing everything I can to get the team back there. As you can hear in my voice, it means so much to me and I want to do it for this team."
Players Mentioned
Defender
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Midfielder
/ Women's Soccer
Forward
/ Women's Soccer
Defender
/ Women's SoccerUNC Football: Tar Heels Overpowers Richmond, 41-6
Sunday, September 14
UNC Players Press Conference, Post-Richmond
Sunday, September 14
Bill Belichick Post-Richmond Press Conference, 9/13/25
Sunday, September 14
UNC Men's Soccer: Sandmeyer Secures 1-1 Draw vs #4 Wake Forest
Saturday, September 13