University of North Carolina Athletics
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Carolina Returns To NCAA Championship Game On Late Goals By Nogueira & O'Reilly
December 1, 2006 | Women's Soccer
Dec. 1, 2006
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CARY, N.C. - Freshman striker Casey Nogueira scored the game-winner in the 84th minute and senior forward Heather O'Reilly added the insurance goal just over two minutes later as No. 1-ranked North Carolina edged third-ranked UCLA 2-0 in the 2006 NCAA Women's College Cup semifinals at SAS Soccer Park. Carolina advances to the NCAA title game Sunday at 12:30 p.m. against Notre Dame, which defeated Florida State 2-1 in Friday night's second semifinal match. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN2.
In a game that featured several great chances to score by two offensive-minded teams, both squads' defenses held firm until 83:31 was gone in the match. That's when Yael Averbuch sent a ball on the left side to Nogueira, who played a season high 64 minutes in the match. Nogueira dribbled to the center of the field and sent a blistering shot from 30 yards out that went to goalkeeper Val Henderson's left into the lower right of the goal. The strike by Nogueira, only her third goal of the season, sent the Tar Heel bench into a frenzy.
It was just over two minutes later that the Tar Heels salted away the victory. Freshman Kristi Eveland sent a ball forward on the right side to Averbuch who saw O'Reilly on the far side of the pitch about 20 yards out. Averbuch curled a ball over the defense to O'Reilly who was completely unmarked. O'Reilly dribbled in, drew Henderson off her line and scored to the far post at 85:50.
It was dramatic end to a game in which the Tar Heels were able to continually hold their back defensive line firm, drawing the Bruins (21-4) into 11 offside calls. UNC had to play the match without All-ACC defender Jessica Maxwell, who usually organizes the defense from her center back spot. Maxwell suffered a broken ankle last Saturday in UNC's come-from-behind quarterfinal win over Texas A&M.
Without Maxwell, UNC asked Kristi Eveland, Robyn Gayle and Ariel Harris to go a full 90 minutes in the backfield. The Tar Heel defense limited UCLA to 10 shots, including only two from the Bruins' leading scorer, Lauren Cheney, who came into the match with 19 goals.
Both team had some near misses in the first half of the game but neither side could put its shots on the frame of the goal as only one of the 10 shots in the first half had to be saved.
At halftime, UNC switched goalkeepers to Ashlyn Harris after Anna Rodenbough played the opening 45 minutes. It was a predetermined switch by Carolina who went into the game intending to play each goalie 45 minutes.
The decision by UNC head coach Anson Dorrance bore fruit as in the opening minutes of the second half, Harris came 35 yards off her line to clear the ball away from Danesha Adams who appeared headed toward a breakaway.
At 54:11, Harris made the defensive play of the match as Adams dribbled in alone on her on a breakaway opportunity and had a point blank shot from eight yards out that Harris blocked away with her shoulder, putting the ball out of danger.
Henderson made two saves on great scoring opportunities by UNC before the Tar Heels finally cashed in. At 56:39, Yael Averbuch sent a shot from 25 yards out that Henderson barely tipped over the bar. In the 69th minute, Libby Guess and Heather O'Reilly hooked up on a give and go and O'Reilly's shot from the 12-yard line was barely tipped over the bar by Henderson.
The win gave coach Anson Dorrance his 800th overall coaching victory at UNC. He won his 628th game as the women's head coach Friday, improving to 628-28-18 in 28 years. He also coached the UNC men for 12 years from 1977-88, compiling a 172-65-21 record.
The win was UNC's 26th in a row this season after it dropped its season opener at Texas A&M in double overtime 1-0. The Tar Heels are now 26-1 and they can tie the school record for wins in a season Sunday in the national championship match.
Carolina outshot the Bruins 15-10 and had a 10-2 edge in corner kicks. Henderson finished with five saves for UCLA and Harris had two second half saves for Carolina.
