Dunn sends UNC women's soccer to College Cup

Most teams talk about rebuilding years in the context of multiple seasons.

But in Friday’s 2-1 double-overtime victory against BYU in Provo, Utah, North Carolina was able to prove how much it had rebuilt over the course of four months.

“Having three under-20 national team players, all starters on the team, was a blessing, but also a mixed blessing because for part of the season they were gone,” assistant coach Bill Palladino said in a telephone interview. “But once they came back and we got everyone on the same page, we started to gel and put things together.”

UNC’s double-overtime victory earned the Tar Heels (13-5-3) their first berth in the College Cup since 2009 and eclipsed the postseason expectations set by a relatively unremarkable regular season.

Palladino said the Tar Heels have benefited late in the season from Crystal Dunn ‘s increased playing time up front, made possible by center back Caitlin Ball’s return to health. Ball suffered an ankle sprain early in the season.

But with the defense healthy, Palladino said the Tar Heels can now afford to play Dunn toward the goal. She scored both of UNC’s goals against BYU, striking first off the dribble from the top of the box in the fourth minute to give UNC a 1-0 lead.

The Cougars tied the game on a penalty kick in the 27th minute.

But finally, in the 107th minute, Dunn made a run parallel to Kealia Ohai, who had received the ball on a flick from Alyssa Rich at midfield.

Ohai drew the defense toward her and then slotted the ball to Dunn. The junior was able to finish the goal and the game.

UNC’s increased depth also helped it create and maintain the type of pressure necessary to contain BYU’s athletic attackers. A total of 19 players saw time for UNC in Utah.

Sophomore defender Brooke Elby said her team knew BYU was liable to take hard shots from long distances. The key for UNC, she said, was depriving them of the space to take those shots. UNC took 23 shots to the Cougars’ eight.

“We play so high-pressure, so of course girls are going to get tired,” Elby said. “What’s great about having a deep roster is that the minute a girl gets tired you’ll have fresh legs off the bench, and you know she’s going to work just as hard. We’re putting constant pressure on these girls, and they can’t breathe.”

Elby made a game-saving play in the first overtime, sprinting downfield to stop a BYU counterattack. She managed to clear the ball off the goal line after BYU’s Lindsi Cutshall had beaten the keeper on the fast break.

UNC will face No. 1 seed and defending national champion Stanford in the College Cup on Friday.

“They’re defending national champs, so they’re definitely going to be intense competition,” Elby said. “They’re a very skillful team, but they’re kind of like BYU. They’re not used to the kind of pressure we put on teams, so I think they’re going to get a big surprise when we play them.”

Contact the desk editor at sports@dailytarheel.com.