Coyne's Control Gives Tar Heel Defense Confidence

Coyne's seven saves helped the eighth-ranked Tar Heels improve to 4-3, 1-2 in the ACC in their 15-12 victory. She will again put her skills to the test against Virginia Tech today for a 5 p.m. opening draw at Fetzer Field.

In a 10-9 loss to rival Duke on March 17, Coyne gave up the winning goal in the last 15 seconds, but she didn't let that block her focus against Virginia.

The Cavaliers only managed one goal in the first 13 minutes of the game. By that point, UNC was ahead 6-1, and the pressure had shifted to Virginia.

"I tried to put that game out of my head," Coyne said. "I've had some trouble with the ball high, and (Virginia) started shooting high. It was important to me to come up with those first saves."

Those first saves aided UNC in taking control in the first half and going into the locker room with a 10-7 lead.

The second half was a different story as the Baltimore native found herself having to make even more big stops.

The Cavaliers won eight of 11 draw controls and scooped up 13 groundballs to the Tar Heels' 10, putting Coyne and her defense on their heels. Virginia came close, but they never could put enough balls past Coyne into the cage.

Despite the ball being on UNC's half of the field for most of the second half, Coyne and her defensive teammates dug in, and Virginia was never able to take the lead.

"We really feed off each other," Coyne said. "If one of my defenders comes up with a huge groundball, that's motivation for me to come up with that next save."

In a tight game like Saturday's against Virginia, UNC coach Jenny Slingluff Levy knows she can count on Coyne.

Coyne's 306 of a possible 360 minutes spent in the cage, 49 saves and 8.04 goals against average (going into Saturday's game) give Slingluff Levy confidence in her stopper.

"Melissa has a lot of experience," Slingluff Levy said. "She's played in tight games, and she's been in big games. She understands the ebb and flow of the game."

If the first half was the flow, then the second was definitely the ebb. Coyne had to make her presence felt with her leadership skills.

"She has the ability to calm down the defense and get them refocused," Slingluff Levy said.

Big saves will calm down the defense the most, and there is no bigger save than off a free position shot. Coyne faced five of them Saturday, and only two got past her. She made one save, and the other two shots went wide.

The free position shot puts all the pressure on Coyne, and she looks forward to making the big save, she said.

"There's only so much you can do before players just turn and fire," said Christine McPike, a junior midfielder and Coyne's roommate. "It gives the team a lot more confidence if you know your goalie will stop those shots."

Coyne has the ability to refocus the offense as well with her remarkable passing ability. She often launched the ball to her offensive teammates near the midfield line, enabling the Tar Heels to transition quickly from defense to offense and make Virginia chase.

"Her clearing ability is amazing," said UNC co-captain and defender Porter Wilkinson. "We're a fast team, but it helps our team transition and get good fast breaks."

An example of Coyne's ability came at the 22-minute mark of the second half. With the Tar Heels leading 10-8 and Virginia threatening with a free position shot, Coyne made a save and passed to Wilkinson at the edge of the crease. Wilkinson hit a streaking Amy Havrilla at midfield, and she scored six seconds after Coyne's save.

A slim one-goal lead turned into a three-goal cushion, and the Tar Heels never looked back.

"If I can make those saves, then I pump my team up," Coyne said. "That's the definition of a great game for me."

The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu