UNC women's soccer team falls to Notre Dame

For 25 years, on the rare occasion that the North Carolina women’s soccer team did lose, it was by the narrowest of margins.

But Saturday night at Fetzer Field, the streak came to a sudden stop.

In the third round of the NCAA Tournament, the No. 1-seeded Tar Heels fell to Notre Dame 4-1, marking the first time UNC has lost by more than one goal since 1985.

“That’s something I’m incredibly proud of, that our kids over the years have figured out a way to hang in there,” coach Anson Dorrance said.

Untrue to form, the defending national champions didn’t start the match with the Fighting Irish with their usual polish.

In the 13th minute, a UNC foul gave Notre Dame a free kick at midfield. The Irish swiftly delivered the ball to the box, where Tar Heel goalkeeper Hannah Daly waited.

But it slipped through her fingers, landing at the feet of Notre Dame midfielder Rose Augustin. With an empty goal in front of her, the senior sent the ball flying to the back of the net for Notre Dame’s first goal of the game.

“We refused to roll over and we went after them a bit, but to Notre Dame’s credit they hung in there like grim death, and we couldn’t slice anything by their very active goalkeeper but also their very active defenders,” Dorrance said.

UNC outshot Notre Dame 15-9, but freshman Crystal Dunn was the only Tar Heel able to get a point on the board. After going into halftime down 2-1, the Tar Heels came back to the field with revamped enthusiasm, but the impenetrable Irish defense didn’t allow the Tar Heel offense a chance to close the gap.

In the 69th minute, the Tar Heels registered three shots on goal in a 7-second span. Redshirt sophomore Rachel Wood’s power shot sent the ball flying into the box, but it was saved by Irish goalie Nikki Weiss.

Tar Heel forward Alyssa Rich responded with two back-to-back shots in response, but the Notre Dame defense turned into a blockade that was unwilling to falter.

Dorrance said he was pleased with his team’s intensity despite the loss. But in one area of the field in particular, he felt his persevering Tar Heels couldn’t be stopped.

“One zone on the field we dominated for 90 minutes was (senior midfielder Meghan Klingenberg’s) zone,” he said. “They kept rotating players in there to try and match up with her and no one could. The Tar Heel flag was firmly planted and waving at left midfield all night.”

UNC’s inexperience was likely a factor in the Irish’s rout of the Tar Heels, as they had eight underclassmen on the starting lineup to Notre Dame’s three. After the game, Klingenberg remained optimistic about her teammates’ future.

“I’ve always thought that our program is bigger than soccer, and that’s why we’ve been so good for these past 30 years,” Klingenberg said. “I always hope they win national championships, but I hope that they have as an amazing as an experience as I did in four years.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.