Pinto’s Moment Of Brilliance Sends Tar Heels Past Tigers

Thursday, September 5

Durham, N.C.

3:30 p.m.

North Carolina

5-0-0

LSU

2-2-1

LSU

North Carolina

Brianna Pinto had the game-winner for UNC in the 71st minute.

Photo by: Rebecca Lawson

September 5, 2019 | Women's Soccer

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Carolina remains unscathed in five matches

By: Dave Lohse

DURHAM, N.C. – Sophomore Brianna Pinto scored her team-leading fourth goal of the season in the 71^st minute Thursday as the top-ranked University of North Carolina women's soccer team edged LSU 1-0 at Koskinen Stadium in the first game of the 2019 Duke Nike Classic.

The game was played on a slippery field with plenty of rain falling throughout as Hurricane Dorian began its assault on North Carolina Thursday afternoon. UNC improved to 5-0 with the victory while the defending Southeastern Conference Tournament champion Tigers fell to 2-2-1 on the campaign. The shutout was the 600^th for the Tar Heels in school history in 966 all-time games.

Carolina dominated the game statistically but LSU's 5-3-1 formation proved to be a challenge for the Tar Heels in the finishing aspect of the game. The only goal came at 70:20 of the match off the foot of Pinto, the Durham native. After Lois Joel's corner kick was cleared out of the penalty area by the Tigers, Rachel Jones retrieved the ball and pushed it on to her right to an open Pinto who took a couple of dribbles and deposited the ball with more than a little authority from the top of the arc into the upper left corner.

Carolina outshot the Tigers 12-1 in the first half and had all seven corner kicks in the opening 45 minutes. With 38 minutes left in the first half, Morgan Goff's header off a free kick service by Lois Joel went off the left post. Four minutes later, Isabel Cox had a shot from the right side of the box saved by LSU starting goalkeeper Emma Grace Goldman.

Pinto's shot from the top of the box with 22:21 left in the first half was saved by Goldman, who finished the match with seven saves while playing all 90 minutes. With 12:45 left before halftime it appeared freshman Alexis Strickland might have earned her third goal of the young season but her header skidded just to the right of the goal and the match went to halftime all knotted at nil-nil.

The Tar Heels outshot the Tigers 7-3 in the second half and earned all five of the period's corner kicks. Eventually it was Pinto's moment of offensive brilliance that provided the difference. Morgan Goff made a diving tackle in the game's final five minutes in the penalty box to preserve the clean sheet.

UNC outshot the Tigers 19-4 and finished with a 12-0 edge on corner kicks. Carolina split goalkeepers by half with Marz Josephson playing the opening 45 minutes and Claudia Dickey the second 45 minutes. Each Tar Heel goalkeeper made one save.

Carolina will be back in action Sunday when it plays UNLV at 11 a.m. in the Duke Nike Classic at Koskinen Stadium.

GAMES NOTES
• UNC improved to 2-0 all-time against LSU. The previous meeting was 10 years ago in the 2009 Duke Nike Classic at Koskinen Stadium. That meeting also resulted in a 1-0 Tar Heel victory and was decided on a goal in the 78^th minute of play by 2019 World Cup champion Jessica McDonald, then a junior for the Tar Heels.
• Claudia Dickey is now 2-0 in goalkeeper decisions this season.
• Dickey and Josephson shared the shutout, each making one save. UNC recorded its 600^th shutout in Carolina history in 966 games. UNC has shut out its opponents 62.1 percent of the time in history.
• Alessia Russo, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Emily Fox returned to the team this week after playing in the U23 Nordic Tournament in England August 28-September 2. None of the three played on Thursday but they are expected back in the lineup Sunday versus UNLV.