Grant, Pinto Record Hat Tricks In 7-0 Win Over Tennessee

Saturday, March 27

Knoxville, TN

6:30 PM

North Carolina

13-1-0, 8-0-0

Tennessee

8-6-1, 4-3-1

North Carolina

Tennessee

March 27, 2021 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: UNC Athletic Communications

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Behind hat tricks from Brianna Pinto and Ruby Grant, No. 2 North Carolina rolled Tennessee, 7-0, Saturday night at Regal Soccer Park.

After scoring three first-half goals, the Tar Heels exploded for four goals in the second half to topple the Volunteers in UNC's second match of the spring.

The Tar Heels seven goals were the most since scoring seven at Syracuse in a 7-1 win on October 7, 2018.

Since 2010, UNC has accounted for six hat tricks (Grant vs. Tennessee on March 27, 2021, Pinto vs. Tennessee on March 27, 2021, Joanna Boyles vs. Syracuse on Sept. 30, 2017, Otto at USF on Aug, 27, 2018, Crystal Dunn vs. Miami on Sept. 22, 2013, and Courtney Jones vs. Duke on Oct. 28, 2010).

Brianna Pinto and Ruby Grant became the first pair of Tar Heel teammates to record a hat trick in the same game since Aja Parsons and Joan Dunlap did on Sept. 7, 1984 against Warren Wilson.

After much back-and-forth action in the first 22 minutes, freshman Ruby Grant netted her first career goal in Carolina Blue to give the Tar Heels a 1-0 lead in the 23^rd minute.

The Tar Heels continued to apply pressure and were successful- scoring their second goal just two minutes after the first.

After a nifty move and a perfect cross in the box from Aleigh Gambone, Brianna Pinto scored her eighth goal of the season to push the Tar Heel lead to two.

Grant's second goal of the contest came in the 36^th minutes when she outran the Tennessee's back line and fired a shot into the bottom-right side of the net to put North Carolina up three goals in the first half.

North Carolina's barrage of first half goals ended there and the Tar Heels took a 3-0 lead into the half.

UNC added its fourth goal of the contest in the 79^th minute when Rachel Jones delivered an incredible cross from the left side into the box to Isabel Cox, who scored for her third goal of the season.

The Tar Heels scored three goals in the last five minutes of the contest with Pinto ('85, '90) and Grant ('87) each adding insurance late in the contest.

North Carolina's defense was impressive throughout the match and limited the Vols to just one shot on goal. In total, Tennessee fired nine shots.

Carolina returns to the pitch on April 1 at Villanova.