Women’s Soccer Shuts Out Cal To Open ACC Play, 3-0

Thursday, September 10

Chapel Hill, N.C.

7 p.m.

North Carolina

6-1-0, 1-0-0

Cal

2-3-3, 0-1-0

Team	1	2	Final F
California	0	0	0
North Carolina	2	1	3

Photo by: DALTON WAINSCOTT

September 10, 2026 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 7 Carolina women's soccer opened ACC play against Cal Thursday night in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels picked up a shutout win, 3-0, over the Bears to start conference action in the win column.

How it Happened
Carolina pressured Cal's backline early, winning four corners in the first 10 minutes of play. In the 10th minute, Bella Devey scored the first goal of the night off a corner kick with assists coming from Izzi Stratton and Summer Denigan.

In the 31^st minute, Denigan took a free kick from outside of the 18-yard box, hitting off the crossbar. One minute later, the Bears scored an own goal, putting the Tar Heels up 2-0.

Amari Manning looked to add a third goal late in the first half, but the 40^th minute shot sailed wide. Carolina ended the half with five shots attempted and a two-point lead.

In the 53^rd minute, Lilliah Blum's shot to the top left corner was saved marking the only save of the game for Cal.

The third Tar Heel goal of the night, scored by Stratton, was assisted by Manning on a 65^th minute corner kick. Manning's assist is the first of her career as a Tar Heel and Stratton's goal is the first of her collegiate career.

Carolina held Cal to just two shots, helping freshman goalkeeper Peyton Trayer notch her fifth clean sheet of the season. Through the first seven games of the season, Carolina has held their opponents to just 27 shots. The UNC defense helped propel the team to a 3-0 win.

Tar Heel Tidbits

Carolina improves to 6-1 on the season with a home record of 3-1.
Five Tar Heels logged 90 minutes on the pitch.
Carolina took 10 shots, with 5 in each half.
The Tar Heel defense held the Bears to just two shots with zero on goal.
Bella Devey scored her seventh goal of the season.
Defender Izzi Stratton scored the first goal of her collegiate career and tacked on an assist.
Carolina attempted 10 corner kicks. The last time the Tar Heels tallied 10 corner kicks was in a 2-1 win on Sept. 11 last season against Virginia Tech.
The Tar Heels improved to 12-0-1 against Cal, with a 5-0 record at Dorrance Field. They also added a 7^th shoutout to their record, while outscoring Cal 36-8.