UNC'S title run ends in third round

Some exchanged sympathetic hugs, and others stood in place, the tears already beginning to gather.

Some collected their belongings from the bench and trudged off the field, and others crouched with their backs to the wild celebration, unable to watch.

The members of the North Carolina women's soccer team didn't know how to react to the idea of losing on their own field, and they certainly didn't know how to react to the idea that their season could be finished after the third round of the NCAA Tournament.

But the unthinkable had just become reality as an overtime goal from Megan Kakadelas clinched a 1-0 victory for 16th-seeded Santa Clara and eliminated the top-ranked Tar Heels at Fetzer Field on Saturday.

The loss snapped North Carolina's streak of 49 games without a defeat since a 2-1 loss to Santa Clara in the NCAA semifinals in 2002.

But more importantly, the team fell short of the NCAA Tournament semifinals for the first time in the program's history.

"According to our standards, it's a disaster, but if you look at it pretty objectively, that was our only loss of the year," said UNC coach Anson Dorrance.

The Broncos (17-4-2) set the tone for the game in the third minute when Kakadelas took advantage of a misplay in the Tar Heels' defensive end.

But goalkeeper Aly Winget thwarted the opportunity with a diving save.

North Carolina (20-1-2) had its best chance to score with 21 minutes remaining in the first half.

Forward Jaime Gilbert slid the ball through the Santa Clara defense to a charging Anne Morrell, whose shot appeared destined for the corner of the net before goalkeeper Julie Ryder knocked the ball away.

The Tar Heels dominated play in the first half, recording 12 shots to Santa Clara's one, but they couldn't create enough space for themselves to find the back of the net.

"Even the shots we had, we didn't have too many where we had the freedom to pick a corner," Dorrance said. "Their pressure made it tough for us to finish the chances we created."

As the missed opportunities mounted for North Carolina, so too did the frustration.

The Broncos, on the other hand, gained confidence with every minute that ticked away.

"The belief that they had that they could win the game just grew stronger and stronger and stronger as the game went on, and that's what allowed us to become a better and better team throughout the game," said Santa Clara coach Jerry Smith.

Kakadelas had a chance to give her team the lead in the game's final minutes when she broke in alone on a feed from Tina Estrada.

Winget cut the angle quickly, and defender Jessica Maxwell swooped in to break up the play.

Kakadelas had a chance to redeem herself in the first minute of the overtime period, and she made the most of it.

Once again, it was a feed from Estrada that sprung her behind the North Carolina defense. This time, she buried her shot into the left corner of the net.

"In the back of my mind, I'm like, 'Don't miss this one again,'" Kakadelas said. "(Winget) gave me a little room on the near post, so I saw it and hit it in."

And so the Tar Heels were left to watch an opposing team celebrate a win on Fetzer Field for the first time since 1999 - but the pain of this loss will linger longer than most.

"Any loss, especially to Santa Clara in the NCAA (Tournament), is going to hurt, but we've got to remember this," said UNC junior Kendall Fletcher. "And we will remember this."

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.