Tar Heels tie NCAA rematch

While the No. 1 North Carolina women’s soccer team prepared to host No. 2 Stanford in the home-opener, the last thing the Tar Heels needed was two injured starters.

UNC had to scramble to find the next best thing with the experience of upperclassmen Rachel Givan and Ali Hawkins missing from Fetzer Field due to injuries.

But after freshman Kealia Ohai’s performance in the 2-2 tie against the Cardinal, UNC coach Anson Dorrance is convinced he’s found it.

Ohai had a goal and an assist in the double overtime draw, which was also her first career start.

“It was really hard not having them because they are two huge starters and leaders on this team,” Ohai said. “But we knew that we had to step up in other places, and I think we did.”

In Friday’s rematch of the 2009 national championship game, the Cardinal returned eight players from last year’s game. Having graduated several standouts, including 2008 national player of the year Casey Nogueira, North Carolina returned only four.

UNC

Goals from Stanford’s Christen Press and Teresa Noyola put the Cardinal ahead by one twice during the matchup, but the Tar Heels responded both times with scores from Ohai and sophomore Amber Brooks.

The Cardinal’s best chance at a victory came late in the first overtime, when a long shot sent the ball soaring toward the top of the net. Quick on her feet, UNC freshman goalie Anna Sieloff tipped it away and over the post for one of her five saves of the game.

“(The coaches) told me, ‘Make sure you’re on the line when they shoot from afar,’?” Sieloff said. “I took their advice and stood on my line, and so when I saw that shot coming, I was in the right position and was able to help my team.”

Compared with Friday’s stalemate, Sunday’s 6-1 win against Missouri looked like a walk in the park.

UNC outshot its opponent 32-15, and in the second half, the Tar Heels scored three goals in a 10-minute span.

Junior Courtney Jones had ten shots, a goal and three assists against the Tigers. Ohai struck again on Sunday with two shots and one goal.

That’s all Dorrance needed to see. After team-leading performances during the weekend, the freshman has earned her spot on the starting lineup, Dorrance said.

And to the his delight, Ohai’s style is one with which he is quite familiar.

“When I first saw Kealia play in a tournament in Vegas … it was the closest player I had ever seen to Mia Hamm,” Dorrance said.

“She goes right through people; her feet are just as quick as Mia’s. She has a nose for the goal that you just can’t teach.”

Though Friday’s draw was only the third time in 32 years the Tar Heels haven’t won their home opener, Dorrance remained positive about the weekend’s results. His young players got a chance to prove themselves, and for now, the defending national champions remain the best team in the country.

But the veteran coach is still just a little bit skeptical.

“I have no illusions about where we are,” Dorrance said. “I don’t think we are the No. 1 team … but certainly what I see now is pretty good.”

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