After 45 minutes at Dorrance Field, the No. 10 Stanford Cardinal looked primed to break No. 2 UNC’s five-game winning streak. The visitors held advantages in saves, fouls and most importantly, goals: 1-0 Stanford at halftime. But a concerted offensive effort from the Tar Heels in the second period brought Carolina back in force, sending the match to overtime. And with the match on the line, preseason All-ACC defender Maycee Bell sent everyone home happy.

The second period showed just how dominant head coach Anson Dorrance’s Tar Heels can be when clicking: they outshot the Cardinal 11-3 in the half, and took five corner kicks. Stanford took none.

Carolina wasted no time in search of an equalizer, as a classy bit of skill from freshman midfielder Emily Colton freed her up for a shot. Stanford keeper Katie Meyer parried Colton’s try, but sophomore forward Emily Moxley corralled the rebound, sending it across to freshman forward Emily Murphy, who deposited her third goal of the season to knot the score up at 1-1.

Carolina kept the chances coming, including a header in the box from Colton, but nearly gave up a potential match-winner in the final 10 minutes. After a defensive breakdown by the Tar Heels, Stanford’s Kellie Pagador found herself in a one-on-one with UNC keeper Claudia Dickey. Her eventual shot evaded the gloves of Dickey, but also evaded the back of the net, sailing high over the crossbar. Bullet dodged.

The Tar Heels made their first and only corner kick of sudden death overtime count, with junior defender Tori Hansen connecting on a header that caused pandemonium within Stanford’s six-yard box. Hansen nearly put home her own rebound, but Bell just barely beat her to the kick. Her boot had just enough power to send the ball through a host of Cardinal defenders and over the goal line. Bell earned credit for the goal, but it was a truly a team effort to fight off the spirited visitors from out west.

The win sends the Tar Heels to 6-0 on the season, with a weekend stay in the Sunshine State upcoming. Carolina will visit the Gators in Gainesville on Thursday, September 9 before going to Disney World to take on No. 18 UCF on Sunday, September 12. The trip down south will end UNC’s non-conference schedule, with a home matchup with No. 5 Duke on September 17 opening up ACC play.

 

Featured image via Carolina Athletics

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