North Carolina
Stanford
Men's Soccer Reaches NCAA Championship Game
December 14, 2001 | Men's Soccer
Dec. 14, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Mike Gell scored in the fourth overtime to give North Carolina a 3-2 victory over Stanford on Friday in the NCAA men's soccer semifinals.
The Tar Heels (20-4) will try to win their first NCAA title when they face Indiana on Sunday. The Hoosiers defeated St. John's, 2-1, in two overtimes in Friday's second semifinal game at Crew Stadium.
Gell took a long pass from UNC keeper Michael Ueltschey and chipped a shot over onrushing goalkeeper Andrew Terris in the 136th minute.
"It had been a fight the last overtime periods. We were just trying to battle and put the ball in the net," Gell said. "We played with our hearts and tried to win it for the seniors."
Down 2-0 with under 10 minutes remaining, North Carolina tied the game with two goals in just over a minute.
David Testo spun around two defenders and put a left-footed shot from 25 yards out just inside the far post past Terris' outstretched fingers to make it 2-1 in the 81st minute.
Noz Yamauchi sent a pass into the box off a set play and David Stokes' header hit the crossbar and Matt Crawford knocked in the rebound to tie it in the 82nd minute.
"When they went up two goals it looked like it was a done deal, but out guys didn't give up," coach Elmar Bolowich said. "I give our team a lot of credit to come back and make the unthinkable happen.
"In overtime it was a matter of who would make the first mistake. I told our guys, 'Don't give up, you have worked too hard so make this happen.'"
Stanford's midfield dominated most of the first half and created several chances by bringing defenders up on offense.
Defender Todd Dunivant opened the scoring in the 25th minute after Matt Moses found him unmarked on a cornerkick. The shot went between two onrushing defenders into the upper left corner.
Roger Levesque made it 2-0 in the 77th minute, scoring off a rebound of a shot by Moses that hit the post.
Stanford (19-2-1) had a chance to win the game in the second overtime when Darren Fernandez dribbled inside the box and passed to Johanes Maliza, but Maliza's shot hit the post from 3 yards out.
"You have to finish the chances you have and not let the other team score. ... And we didn't do that," Moses said.
Stanford had allowed only 10 goals all season.
Stanford coach Bret Simon, who coached Creighton to the title game last season, is the first coach to lead two schools to the semifinals in consecutive years.
"We had them on the ropes," Simon said. "I think everyone on our team thought we were going to the finals.
"It wasn't luck that they got those goals, it was great skills and wonderful play. ... My hat is off to them."
It was the third straight overtime game for North Carolina.
"In overtime it's scary because you know one mistake can end the game," defender Chris Leitch said. "It all comes down to heart and we proved that the last couple of games."
