UNC reclaims soccer title

By JACK DALY : The Durham Herald-Sun
jdaly@heraldsun.com
Dec 4, 2006 : 12:16 am ET

CARY -- With seven North Carolina freshmen seeing extensive action, it would be easy to say the Tar Heels' 2-1 win over Notre Dame in Sunday's NCAA Championship game was the start of something big. But this is the UNC women's soccer program, where just about every feat -- no matter how noteworthy -- has been accomplished once, twice or three times over. So the best way to describe the victory might be to call it a continuation. And a perfect ending to Heather O'Reilly's UNC career.

The Tar Heels won their 18th NCAA title -- 19th overall -- with a combination of youth, speed and skill the Fighting Irish couldn't match at SAS Soccer Park. By topping previously undefeated Notre Dame (25-1-1) in mostly dominant fashion, UNC (27-1-0) showed its rivals that the program is as potent as ever.

"I honestly couldn't be happier," said O'Reilly, a senior who split her season between the UNC and U.S. national teams. "I wouldn't rather win with another group of girls. It's truly an honor to play for the U.S., to play for your country, to score for your country. "But there's something special about playing for the University of North Carolina -- the tradition involved, the dynasty that we're now proving that we're continuing. ... Today is one of the best days of my life."

To that, UNC coach Anson Dorrance offered a quick, "Me, too."

Before Sunday's championship, the Tar Heels had gone 141-6-7 in the past six-plus seasons but had only claimed one national title. That led some to say the dynasty wasn't what it used to be.

"Ever since we've been here we've been asked about Carolina this and Carolina that and the aura of Carolina," Notre Dame coach Randy Waldrum said after the defeat. "It's a great legacy. But there is so much parity now in women's college soccer it's not going to be duplicated."

Parity or no, the Tar Heels controlled just about all the action in the first 80 minutes on Sunday, forcing most the play into the Fighting Irish's end. After a couple of dangerous moments from O'Reilly and Yael Averbuch, Casey Nogueira got the Tar Heels rolling in the 18th minute. The freshman from Raleigh fed O'Reilly with a beautifully paced ball that arced from the right side of midfield to the left side of Notre Dame's penalty box. With O'Reilly galloping toward the loose ball, Notre Dame keeper Lauren Karas came out of her net to challenge, a decision both Waldrum and O'Reilly called a mistake.

"I saw her coming out and I know that speed is one of the things I have in my back pocket, so to she her coming off her line like that, I think my eyes got wide I got so excited because I knew that I could beat her to the ball," O'Reilly said. "It was just a matter of then what?"

Then what?

Then O'Reilly elevated the ball into the right side of the net as Notre Dame defender Kim Lorenzen tried to kick it away. The Tar Heels continued to dominate the rest of the half, repeatedly outrunning Notre Dame players to loose balls to build a 10-2 shot advantage.

"That's a credit to the speed training that we do," O'Reilly said. "We have a lot of great athletes on our team. I think more than our speed, I think our fitness really helped us today. I think we were the fitter team."

With the Irish still reeling after halftime, UNC scored in the 47th minute when freshman Whitney Engen sent a cross into the box from near the right corner-kick flag. Nogueira's forehead met the ball just before it returned to earth, knocking it into the left side of the net for a 2-0 edge.

While O'Reilly was named the College Cup's most outstanding offensive player, a case could've been made for Nogueira, who also had the game-winning goal in UNC's 2-0 semifinal win over UCLA on Friday. That performance earned the 17-year-old her first collegiate start Sunday.

"As we were walking in here, I was asking her if this is an aberration or if we were ever going to see this again," Dorrance said. "She assured that there's a chance we might see it again, so I'm excited."

The Irish finally got their wits about them in the game's final 10 minutes, scoring in the 81st minute when Brittany Bock converted a header off a set piece. Notre Dame had a flurry of chances in the final moments, but Hermann Trophy winner Kerri Hanks missed a free kick from just outside the box on its last, best opportunity.

Shortly thereafter, UNC began to celebrate on the field it won its last NCAA Championship in 2003. Dorrance believed that team, which outscored opponents 32-0 in the NCAA Tournament, was one of the best ever.

He didn't go so far with his current bunch, but it was remarkable in its own right. With Nogueira playing so well and freshman keeper Ashlyn Harris subbing in for Anna Robenbough at halftime, UNC had seven freshmen -- Nogueira, Harris, Engen, Ali Hawkins, Tobin Heath, Kristi Eveland and Nikki Washington -- on the field at the start of the second half. That was the first that that had ever happened in UNC history. Is that a portend for things to come?

"Nothing ever's assured," said junior Robyn Gale, who was named most outstanding defender. "I thought our team last year was pretty amazing and we weren't assured anything. But I think the freshmen are in a great position. They're only freshmen by title. Everything else they play like seniors out there. "They have three more years -- the potential is endless. But in our program, potential doesn't mean anything."