Andrzejewski & Harris Pace Tar Heels Past Hokies

Thursday, September 22

Chapel Hill, N.C.

7:00 PM

North Carolina

6-2-1,ACC 1-1

Virginia Tech

8-3,ACC 0-2

Virginia Tech

North Carolina

September 23, 2016 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: UNC Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Freshman striker Bridgette Andrzejewski came off the bench to record a brace and senior goalkeeper Lindsey Harris made 10 saves as the #18 North Carolina women's soccer team defeated #19 Virginia Tech 3-0 before 607 fans Thursday night at Fetzer Field.

The Tar Heels halted a two-game losing streak with the win as Carolina improved to 6-2-1 overall and 1-1 in the ACC. The Hokies fell to 8-3 overall and 0-2 in the ACC.

UNC head coach Anson Dorrance juggled his lineup Thursday night, inserting Maya Worth and Madison Schultz at forward and Abby Elinsky in the midfield. The Tar Heels came out with early energy in the game and scored twice in the opening half. That was in contrast to the Tar Heels' previous 17 games going back to last season when the Tar Heels have tallied only four first-half goals.

Worth, normally a defender, started her first game at forward and she set up the contest's first goal. Worth tracked down a ball on the left sideline from Megan Buckingham and she sent a cross to freshman Zoe Redei who held off her defender with her back to the goal. Redei sent a perfect pass across the box to junior midfielder Annie Kingman who finished from 12 yards into the lower right part of the frame. It was Kingman's third goal of the season.

Andrzejewski came off the bench for the Tar Heels in this game after starting seven of the season's first eight games. She entered the game in the 22nd minute and delivered separation for the Tar Heels just nine minutes later. After a foul on Virginia Tech, Hanna Gardner sent a ball from 40 yards out that Ru Mucherera kept alive twice in the box with headers. A Virginia Tech defender then tried to head the ball out of danger but it went to Andrzejewski who pounced on it, pivoted around a defender and beat the Virginia Tech goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn inside the right post from 12 yards.

Carolina outshot the Hokies 7-5 in the first half with Harris making three saves for the Heels. Virginia Tech's best chance to score in the opening frame came in the 38th minute, when after a UNC foul a dangerous free kick by Virginia Tech found the head of Candace Cephers in the box but her shot caromed off the cross bar and UNC was able to carry its two-goal advantage into halftime.

Virginia Tech kept the pressure on in the second half as it looked to get back in the game. The Hokies outshot the Tar Heels 11-7 in the second half but they were repeatedly stonewalled by Harris, who made seven saves after intermission. Harris finished with 10 saves overall, the second highest total of her career. She had a career high saves total of 11 in Carolina's 0-0 tie with Duke on September 2.

Harris' best save of the game came in the 57th when a shot from 20 yards out by Kristina Diana appeared to be headed into the upper right 90 of the frame. Harris was able to get her fingertips on the shot, knocking it off the cross bar. With Carolina's lead still at two goals, UNC got the clinching goal at 68:12 as Andrzejewski notched her second goal of the contest and fourth of the season. UNC's Dorian Bailey started the scoring sequence, sending a ball forward to freshman Kasey Parker who quickly advanced the ball to Andrzejewski. Staying onside, she beat her defender and found herself one-on-one with McGlynn, finishing from 12 yards out into the right side of the cage.

Virginia Tech ended with a 16-14 edge in shots, including a 10-5 edge in shots on goal. Harris finished with 10 saves for the Tar Heels while McGlynn had two saves for the Hokies. Both teams took two corner kicks.

Carolina's win was its fifth in a row over the Hokies. Virginia Tech had scored at least one goal in each of the last eight meetings between the two teams. The Tar Heels recorded their first clean sheet against Virginia Tech since it beat the Hokies 3-0 in the 2008 ACC Tournament championship game in Cary, N.C. UNC leads the all-time series 13-2.

Carolina will be back in action on Sunday when it plays at #13 Clemson at Historic Riggs Field. Game time is 1 p.m. and it will be webcast nationally on ACC Network Extra. The Tigers beat Syracuse 4-0 Thursday night to improve to 8-2 on the season and 2-0 in the ACC.