Women’s Soccer Matches Largest NCAA First-Round Win In Program History

Friday, November 15

Chapel Hill, N.C.

6 p.m. ET

North Carolina

17-5-0, 7-3-0

USC Upstate

10-5-4, 5-1-2

USC Upstate

North Carolina

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

Women’s Soccer Matches Largest NCAA First-Round Win In Program History

November 15, 2024 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Headlined by braces from Kate Faasse and Linda Ullmark, North Carolina posted a dominant 8-0 win over USC Upstate in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament on Friday night at Dorrance Field to advance to next week's second round.

Carolina's performance matched its largest first-round NCAA Tournament victory in program history. UNC had an 8-0 shutout over High Point in 2003 en route to its 18th national championship.

A second seed in this year's tournament and ranked eighth nationally, the Tar Heels improve to 17-5 (7-3 ACC) on the year. The Spartans, who achieved their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth, finish their historic season at 10-5-4 (5-1-2 Big South).

Carolina is now 25-1 all-time in the NCAA First Round and has out-scored its first-round opponent 110-6.

How It Happened

UNC jumped out to an early lead it would not relinquish in the 17th minute. Maddie Dahlien drew a foul inside the box to award the home team a penalty kick. Bella Sember stepped up to the spot and converted the attempt with a shot to the lower right.
Faasse quickly doubled the lead two minutes later. Playing up from midfield, she was able to hold off her defender to create space on the right side to fire a beautiful strike from about 22 yards out to the far post.
Wasting no time, Faasse made it three unanswered in the 22nd minute for her second straight game with a first-half brace. Tessa Dellarose sent a pass through two defenders to Faasse on the right, who took two touches to chip one in past the goalkeeper.
The Tar Heels carried their sizable 3-0 lead into the break, also holding a 10-1 advantage in shots including 4-1 on target, all which set up an explosive second half.
After receiving the ball from Evelyn Shores in midfield, Olivia Thomas cut inside the box from the left side to send a low strike that slipped between the keeper's legs to put UNC out in front by four in the 60th minute.
It was a 5-0 game seven minutes later after Carolina capitalized on a set piece opportunity. Sember's corner kick connected with Caitlin Mara on the far side, whose header sailed into the back of the net.
Carolina's sixth goal came in the 74th minute when Bella Gaetino received the ball roughly 30 yards out after a short pass from Dellarose. With no defender in sight, Gaetino uncorked a lethal strike that lofted over traffic, bounced off the far post and landed in the back netting.
The 7-0 lead in the 76th minute came from Ullmark, scoring her first of two in an 87-second span. Dahlien's initial shot was saved, but she maintained possession to send a pass back to Ullmark who was left unmarked at the top of the six-yard box. Her first touch rolled into the back of the net.
Ullmark scored again less than two minutes later. Alexa Wojnovich's header created a turnover off a failed goal kick, which landed right in Ullmark's path. Ullmark's strike from the top of the 18 floated in just below the crossbar for an 8-0 lead that would stand as the final score.

Inside the Box Score

UNC's eight goals were the most scored since an 8-0 win vs. UNLV on Sept. 8, 2019.
Faasse bagged her fifth brace of the year, and in back-to-back games. She extended her team lead to 18 goals and 37 points.
Only three Tar Heels have had 3+ braces in a single season in the last decade: Faasse (5, 2024), Alessia Russo (5, 2019) and Bridgette Andrzejewski (4, 2016).
Ullmark got her fourth and fifth goal – and second brace – of the season. She now ranks third on the roster with 15 points.
Sember scored her eighth goal of the year, and her fourth from the penalty spot. She was also credited with her fourth assist.
Thomas netted her sixth goal of the year while Gaetino found her fourth. Mara scored her the first of her career.
Dahlien picked up her fifth assist of the 2024 campaign. It was also the fifth time this year she has created a play which drew contact inside the box to give UNC a penalty kick.
Dellarose had two assists on the night and now has a team-leading six. Wojnovich saw her first assist as a Tar Heel.
Carolina out-shot USC-Upstate 29-2, including 16-2 on target. The Spartans had been averaging 15.3 shots per game and 6.4 shots on goal per game.
Clare Gagne made two saves between the posts. It was the 12th shutout of the year for Carolina, and 20th all-time in the NCAA First Round.

NCAA Tournament Tidbits

North Carolina extended its streak as the only team to appear in all 43 NCAA Tournaments.
The Tar Heels now have an all-time record of 148-18-5 in the NCAA Tournament.
Carolina has won 21 of 42 NCAA titles, plus the 1981 AIAW title for 22 national championships.
Carolina has appeared in 31 College Cups, including four of the last six. No other team has been in more than 14.
UNC has advanced to the national title game 27 times, including three of the last six, and has finished as the national runner-up on six occasions.
The Tar Heels have been a No. 2 seed 12 times before, winning five NCAA crowns as a second seed, including its last title in 2012.

Up Next
Having earned a No. 2 seed, the Tar Heels will now host the second and third rounds of the 2024 NCAA Tournament next weekend at Dorrance Field.

Carolina, which will face Santa Clara in the second round, will also host third-seed South Carolina vs. sixth-seed Minnesota. The winners of each match will face off in the third round.

All dates and times are to be determined. Tickets will be available for purchase here. The complete NCAA Tournament bracket can be found here.

Stay up to date with UNC women's soccer by following the Tar Heels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.