Women's Soccer ACCtion: Saturday, October 17
UNC edges Virginia, 2-1.
UNC's Ali Hawkins

UNC's Ali Hawkins

Oct. 17, 2009

Late Penalty Kick Lifts Tar Heels Past Virginia

North Carolina junior midfielder Ali Hawkins had a goal and an assist Saturday afternoon as the second-ranked Tar Heels held off Virginia 2-1 in women's soccer action before a crowd of 2,207 at Fetzer Field. Hawkins had the deciding goal in the game, scoring on a penalty kick with 1:58 left to lift the Tar Heels to the win.

UNC improved to 12-1-1 on the season and 5-1 in the ACC with the win over the Cavaliers who have been playing in tough luck all season long. Virginia fell to 6-5-3 overall and 1-4-1 in the ACC. UNC moved back into first place in the ACC standings with the win as the Tar Heels now have 15 points while Florida State is second with 13 points and Virginia Tech third with 12 points. The Tar Heels will meet the Seminoles next Thursday at 6 p.m. in Tallahassee, Fla. in a battle for first place in the league standings.

UNC outshot the Cavaliers 12-6 and had a 7-3 edge in corner kicks as the Tar Heels improved to 34-0-2 all-time versus Virginia. This win may have been one of the more bizarre ones in that long series between the teams if for no other reason in the way it unfolded.

Carolina outshot the Cavaliers 7-2 in the first half and found the frame six times but UVa goalkeeper Chantel Jones stopped every thing that came her way. None of the shots was a particularly dangerous opportunity as Virginia's defense held strong and allowed their goalkeeper to be an effective last line of defense. In the first half, Virginia kept the Tar Heels shooting from distance, denying close in chances at the net.

The best scoring opportunity in the first half actually belonged to Virginia's Jess Rostedt at the 20:39 mark. Rostedt timed her offside run well, got behind the entire defense and was moving in quickly on UNC goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris. As the UNC defense was making up ground quickly, Rostedt fired a shot from outside the penalty area, but she pushed it wide to the left to keep the game scoreless.