CHAPEL HILL, N.C.-If the Virginia women's soccer team had to have its season end sometime, Saturday night's 2-1 loss to North Carolina in the third round of the NCAA Tournament wasn't a bad way to go.
Even with the odds stacked against them, the Cavs (11-8-1) proved they would not be pushovers. More than 5,000 fans, most of them pulling for Carolina (18-3), showed up at Fetzer Field to watch the defending NCAA champion attempt to improve their program record against Virginia to 24-0.
This season, the Tar Heels beat the Cavs 6-1, but when the two teams stepped on the field Saturday night, the battle to advance to the NCAA Elite Eight was all that mattered.
After the Virginia defense kept the first half scoreless, the Cavs got on the board in the 55th minute. Receiving a pass from forward Sarah Lane, Cavalier wing midfielder Laura Gaworecki beat UNC keeper Jenni Branam from about 20 yards out, placing her shot into the wide open goal just inches past the foot of Carolina defender Danielle Borgman. The official box score credited senior winger Tracey Lache with the goal, but Gaworecki confirmed she did score it, her first goal of the season.
The Virginia bench erupted, ecstatic to be leading the tight match, but just 14 minutes later, Carolina answered with a goal of its own. Following a corner kick from UNC midfielder Jena Kluegel, fellow midfielder Laurie Schwoy headed the ball into the net past Cav freshman goalkeeper Jodi Clugston.
"We knew they'd be dangerous on their set plays and that's what we practiced for," Clugston said. "But they got a head on the ball and that's all you need."
With the game tied, both teams stepped up their intensity, each determined to come out on top in the end. Virginia had several prime scoring opportunities, but failed to get the ball through Branam, despite a few mistakes on her part. Against a dynasty like North Carolina, the Cavs knew they must capitalize upon any errors by the opposition, but in the end, they fell just short.
"We did have chances to win this game," Virginia coach Steve Swanson said. "We just didn't take them at the right times."
In the 75th minute, Carolina scored the goal that would become the game winner. After Virginia could not clear a Kluegel corner, the ball fell to Tar Heel senior Meredith Florance. Florance, the ACC's leading scorer this year, nailed her 24th goal of the season into the bottom right corner of the net.
Though Florance's goal was the last of the game, the pace of the game never slowed. Both teams battled to the end - Virginia for a tie and Carolina for an insurance goal - but strong defense from both teams, especially from the goalkeepers, kept the score at 2-1.
The loss ends Virginia's season, but the Cavs felt they gave it their best.
"Obviously we're disappointed that this all has to end," senior co-captain Katie Tracy said. "But we gave them a good fight and we're really proud of ourselves"
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