[NORTH CAROLINA-NOTRE DAME] Courtney Jones scored on a 20-yard shot in the 96th minute to lift third-ranked NorthCarolina to a 2-1 overtime victory over No. 2 Notre Dame, the defending NCAA champion, Friday night before 5,236 fans, the fourth largest crowd to watch the Tar Heels play at Fetzer Field. Thewin was revenge for Carolina’s 4-1 loss to Notre Dame in Chapel Hill in last year’s NCAA Tournament, its worst defeat in almost a quarter century.
The Carolina star was junior goalkeeperHannah Daly, who made a career-high seven saves, including one on a shot by Adrianna Leon in the 86th minute that seemeddestined to find the back of the net and lift the Irish to a comeback victory.
Daly was the difference in the first half, saving six Notre Dame’s shots and allowing UNC to head intothe locker room at the half with a 1-0 lead courtesy of Renee Premji’s opportunistic goal in the 20th minute.
Jones’ free kick from 22yards was blocked over the end line and on the ensuing corner that was initially cleared away, she stayed with the ball and sent another cross into the penalty area, where Premji one-timed it into theside net on the left side.
Daly’s only mistake came in the 71st minute when she failed to snatch the rain-soaked ball on Notre Dame defender JazminHall‘s long blast into the area.
Amber Brooks set up Jones’ golden goal, intercepting a pass at midfield and making a run down themiddle of the field before finding Kealia Ohai on the left side just on the edge of the penalty area. Ohai redirected the ball back towards the center ofthe field at the top of the box, where Jones buried a laser into the lower left corner.