University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Florida State
Premji's First Career Goal Lifts Heels To Dramatic Win
October 14, 2010 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 14, 2010
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Just six days after pulling off a thrilling 1-0 overtime win at No. 6 Virginia, North Carolina's second-ranked women's soccer team struck again in the late going as sophomore midfielder Ranee Premji's first career goal in the 87th minute propelled UNC past seventh-ranked Florida State 1-0 before a crowd of 2,356 fans at Fetzer Field.
Florida State had frustrated the Tar Heels offensively most of the night but Carolina would eke out the win on its 12th and final shot of the night at 86:38. The game-winning sequence was set up by a throw in on the right side of the pitch about 35 yards away from the goal. Kealia Ohai controlled the ball and dribbled into the right side of the box. Ohai sent the ball to Courtney Jones whose initially centering pass was deflected. Jones jumped on the loose ball and sent a cross from the end line to the near post where Premji chested the ball in from the three-yard line. It was the first goal of Premji's Tar Heel career.
The game was far from over at that point as Florida State, which had taken only two shots up to that point, had some good looks at the goal in the final minutes. Ines Jaurena sent a shot high less than 40 seconds after Premji's goal after a solid FSU buildup in the offensive end. UNC then committed a foul just outside the box on the right side with less than a minute to play. Tiana Brockway sent a ball into the box that was pinged around by both teams, including FSU goalkeeper Kelsey Wys who had come forward on the play, before being cleared by UNC's defense. FSU got the ball back had one spectacular look at the goal as Casey Short's point blank shot from about 12 yards out on the left side of the box with four seconds left was parried away by UNC goalkeeper Anna Sieloff as time expired. Sieloff gobbled up the ball and there was no rebound and Carolina came away with the win.
The win was Carolina's fourth in a row and lifted the Tar Heels to 12-1-1 overall and 4-1 in the ACC. Florida State came into the match tied for first in the ACC but fell to 10-3 overall and 4-1 in the conference. Wake Forest and Maryland now share the league lead with 13 points, both with 4-1-1 marks, while FSU and UNC are tied for third with 12 points, both with 4-1 ledgers. UNC and Florida State both have a game in hand on Wake and Maryland.
Carolina outshot the Seminoles 12-4 and had three corner kicks to two for FSU. Kelsey Wys made three saves for FSU while Sieloff's save was the only one of the day for Carolina. Hannah Daly played the first 45 minutes and Sieloff played the second 45 minutes as they combined on the shutout, the third straight clean sheet for the Heels' defense.
Carolina outshot the Seminoles 6-1 I the first half and almost took the lead in the opening five minutes of play. Premji, who came into the game with only seven shots in 13 games, one-timed a corner kick from Katie Klimczak at 1:38 that had to be cleared off the line by the FSU defense. At 4:51, Courtney Jones was able to get behind the FSU defense and had a clear shot in the box but it was cleared away at the last second by Wys. Carolina had another good opportunity with 54 seconds left in the first half when Kealia Ohai took a feed in the box and had a one-on-one opportunity with Wys but Ohai's one-timer went over the bar.
In the first 34 plus minutes of the second half, the two teams combined for only two shots as Florida State's defense kept the Tar Heels away from the goal while playing a unique 4-5-1 system. The game began to open up late and at 79:04, Katie Klimczak scorched a shot high of the bar from distance after making a nice run through the midfield.
That set up the final frantic 4:22 of the match. Elizabeth Burchenal got free and sent a right-footed shot in the box that was kick saved away by Wys at 85:38. Burchenal gathered in the rebound and had a brief opening but her left-footed volley went just left of the far post. Exactly 50 seconds later Premji scored, giving the Tar Heels the lead. FSU would put enormous pressure in the final two minutes but Carolina held strong and now controls it own fate in the ACC. If the Tar Heels win out in their final five games they can claim the ACC Tournament's No. 1 seed.
UNC returns to the pitch on Sunday at 1 p.m. when it plays host to Miami at Fetzer Field. FSU travels to NC State Sunday for a 1 p.m. match.
