North Carolina head coach Anson Dorrance won his 800th career win as the women’s coach at North Carolina when the Tar Heels beat Wake Forest, 2-1, on goals by Ru Mucherera andDorian Bailey.
The game was Dorrance’s 900th with the TarHeels, and he now has a record of 800-65-35. He also coached the UNC men’s team from 1977 through 1988 and in those 12 seasons led the Tar Heels to 172 wins.
Wake outplayed the TarHeels for much of the first half, but it ended in a 1-1 tie after a pair of nifty goals. The Demon Deacons went ahead in the 30th minute on a goal by Peyton Perea, her fifth of the season.
Three forwards who had came on in the middle of the half combined for the Carolina equalizer in the 36th minute. Kasey Parker took advantage of a Wake turnover and played the ballback to Sarah Ashley Firstenberg, who fed Mucherera, who finished with her left foot from 15 yards out inside the right post.
Carolina came out of the locker room anddominated the second half, scoring the winner in the 69th minute when Bailey fired a free kick off the inside of the left post for her second of the season.
Fans who only follow one team and don’t follow women’s soccer or college soccer are not hearing about many fine coaching success stories in the US. Anson Dorrance is obviously a future hall of fame coach. I trust it will not be in the near future. Amazing program.
Excellence + Longevity = Big #s EARNED!