[NORTH CAROLINA-STANFORD] Rebuilding North Carolina got bad news last week when Soccer America Preseason All-Americans RachelGivan and Ali Hawkins were both sidelined due to injuries heading into Friday’s game against No. 2 Stanford, a rematch of last year’s Women’s College Cupfinal. But No. 1 Carolina’s freshmen and sophomores rose to the occasion …
Twice Stanford went ahead on goals by senior Christen Press and juniorTeresa Noyola, but twice UNC came back.
In her first start, freshman Kealia Ohai rescued the Heels with agoal off a rebound and an assist on Amber Brooks‘ goal in the 71st minute.
“It was really hard not having them [Hawkins and Givan],” said Ohai,”because they are two huge starters and leaders on this team and they are awesome. So it was hard for us going into this game but we knew we had to step up in other places and I think we did.”
Without Givan and Hawkins, Carolina played only four players from the team that beat Stanford, 1-0, in the College Cup final.
“It’s ridiculous that we are the No. 1 team,” said UNCcoach Anson Dorrance. “We put six or seven girls in the pro league. So I have no illusions about where we should be ranked. In the national championship gamelast year, we had four kids on the field tonight who played in that game and Stanford had eight. So I love my young kids. A bunch of freshmen and sophomores played tonight and played well against awonderful Stanford team and fought tooth and nail for 110 minutes.”
Dorrance said Stanford controlled the first half completely.
“But I genuinely believe that was a mistake Imade,” he said. “We were trying to find a way to replace Ali Hawkins. The mistake I made was leaving Ranee Premji on the bench and I should have started her atattacking center halfback.”
In the first overtime, Stanford’s Allison McCann had a shot cleared off the line, but the Cardinal couldn’t get thewinner it was looking for.
“It was disappointing,” Stanford coach Paul Ratcliffe said. “We played hard and had good chances. But we should’vefinished the job.”
{“It’s ridiculous that we are the No. 1 team,” said UNC coach Anson Dorrance.} It’s funny how he says these things each time his team is ranked first, and then, his team keeps winning titles.
{“It’s ridiculous that we are the No. 1 team,” said UNC coach Anson Dorrance.} It’s funny how he says these things each time his team is ranked first, and then, his team keeps winning titles.