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In the 66th minute in a scoreless game between Syracuse and North Carolina, the Tar Heels threatened deep in SU territory. UNC forward Kate Faasse fell to the ground after contact with SU’s Kate Murphy inside the box.

After a lengthy video review, North Carolina was awarded a penalty kick. Senior forward Bella Sember took the kick, booting the ball to Shea Vanderbosch’s right.

Vanderbosch guessed correctly, but the ball was just out of her reach, as Sember slotted it in the bottom left corner of the net to break the deadlock.

This proved to be the game-winning goal, as Syracuse (6-5-1, 0-4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) fell 1-0 to No. 8 North Carolina. (10-1-0, 3-0-0 ACC). It marked the fourth straight loss for SU to start ACC play, eerily similar to last season’s abysmal 0-9-1 conference record. Despite losing the game, Vanderbosch and SU’s backline held strong, only allowing one goal on 17 shots and six corners.

“That sucks to lose on a (penalty kick) to Carolina,” SU head coach Nicky Thrasher Adams said postgame. “After everything you’re doing, pouring your heart and soul into defending like that … that one hurt.”

To start the match, both teams received scoring opportunities. First, Ashley Rauch sent a long pass along the right side to Erin Flurey. Flurey forced a corner, but her attempt was too long. Then, UNC received two consecutive tries, but SU’s backline easily cleared both.

Neither team could get much going for the next 15 minutes, trading possession back and forth. In the 25th minute, Iba Oching cleared a UNC threat, resulting in a corner. But Bella Gaetino’s kick floated right to Vanderbosch.

Three minutes later, North Carolina’s Linda Ullmark stole the ball from SU’s defense. She turned around and found only Vanderbosch in front of her. Vanderbosch charged Ullmark and blocked her shot, keeping the game scoreless.

In the 36th minute, Rauch was fouled near midfield, creating a chance for the Orange. This ultimately led to another SU corner after Rauch found Oching on the right side. However, Flurey’s try was headed away by the Tar Heels.

UNC threatened again four minutes afterward. Ullmark had space in front of the 18-yard box but was swarmed by Syracuse’s backline. She passed the ball back to Tessa Dellarose, but Rauch came hurtling in, sliding to block her shot. The sequence was one of the final actions as the half ended scoreless.

Five minutes into the second frame, Vanderbosch dove to her left to save a low shot by Emerson Elgin. To continue to keep UNC scoreless, Adams knew SU would have to force the Tar Heels to the sidelines.

“We really wanted to screen our two center backs, (Gabby) Wisbeck and (Dalani) Stephens, just making sure we kept Carolina in front of us,” Adams said. “We did not want them to attack down the middle.”

A few minutes into the half, Syracuse took the ball deep into Tar Heels’ territory, which UNC knocked out for SU’s third corner. Flurey delivered a ball right in front of the goal, but Tar Heels’ goalkeeper Clare Gagne punched it out for another corner. Soon after, Syracuse’s next corner only yielded a floater over the net by Ava Uribe.

In the 59th minute, Vanderbosch was tested again by UNC. Sember motored past SU’s backline and was one-on-one with SU’s keeper. But Vanderbosch again made a sprawling kick save.

“(Vanderbosch) is just a great goalkeeper in every category,” Adams said postgame. “Today she only had to make six saves and probably three of them were heavy, legit saves. Other than that, she did her job.”

After over half the game with no scoring, the Tar Heels finally got on the board via Sember’s penalty kick in the 66th minute.

Following the score, North Carolina continued to apply heavy pressure. In the 68th minute, it received two consecutive corners, but both were cleared after multiple close-range shots from UNC.

Near the end of the contest, UNC began to get reckless. It committed two fouls in Orange territory, but SU couldn’t capitalize. Then, Sember received a yellow card in the 82nd minute after knocking Wisbeck to the ground. On the ensuing set piece, Vita Naihin received the ball left of the goal though her shot trickled straight to Gagne.

SU received one final opportunity with two minutes remaining. Kylen Grant booted a pass to Murphy, who was open on the left side. Murphy sent a cross to Flurey, and her shot was deflected for the Orange’s final corner. But Flurey’s kick sailed over everyone, clinching SU’s fourth straight loss.

To start ACC play, the Orange have scored one or fewer goals in all four contests. Adams mentioned that her players need to simplify things, and only look to move the ball downfield if they have someone open.

“We have to have confidence in our transitional opportunities and attack,” Adams said regarding SU’s offense. “I thought we gave away too many easy balls when we didn’t need to overcomplicate it.”

Published on September 22, 2024 at 5:15 pm

Contact Noah: njnussba@syr.edu | @ Noahnuss99