Kate Faasse scored 7:12 into sudden-victory overtime to give Carolina a 2-1 win against No. 4 seed Penn State in the NCAA quarterfinals on Friday night at Dorrance Field, advancing the Tar Heels through to the College Cup in Cary next weekend. It’s UNC’s 32nd appearance in the national semifinals.

Carolina trailed early, as the Nittany Lions took a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute. It was the first goal given up by the Tar Heels in the tournament.

Despite UNC holding an 18-6 advantage in shots in the first half, Penn State’s lead lasted until halftime. But less than four minutes into the second half, ACC All-Freshman honoree Bella Gaetino scored her fifth goal of the season to draw the Tar Heels level.

Carolina continued to threaten the Penn State net, outshooting the Lions 9-2 in the second half, but could not find a winner by the 90th minute.

The match went to overtime, where golden goal rules took effect. The Tar Heels continued to control possession in the extra session, holding Penn State without a shot and sending three of their own toward the Lions’ net before Faasse’s heroics. On the deciding play, the junior from Arizona connected on a corner kick from Tessa Dellarose from point-blank range, sending her teammates and the Dorrance Field crowd into hysterics.

It was Faasse’s 19th goal of the season and third in four matches during the NCAA Tournament.

Carolina is now 20-5 on the season. The Tar Heels are the third ACC team to punch its ticket to the College Cup, joining Wake Forest and Stanford. Duke and Virginia Tech will face off on Saturday, guaranteeing all four teams in the semifinals will be ACC members. UNC will face either the Blue Devils or the Hokies in Cary on Friday, December 6.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Ainsley E. Fauth

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
First-Half Flurry Helps UNC Women's Soccer Dispatch No. 12 Notre Dame
Top-ranked UNC scored three goals in the first half to build an early lead against No. 12 Notre Dame at Dorrance Field Friday night, and the Tar Heels cruised from there to a 4-1 victory. Heels on top!#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/SD8Iic7759 — UNC Women's Soccer (@uncwomenssoccer) October 3, 2026 Reigning ACC Offensive Player of the […]
UNC's Bella Devey Named ACC Offensive Player of the Week for a Second Time
Following a two-goal performance in No. 1 UNC’s 3-1 win at No. 16 Virginia Friday evening, Bella Devey has been named the ACC’s Offensive Player of the Week. It’s the second time this season Devey has earned the honor and the second consecutive week a Tar Heel has taken it home, after Lilliah Blum did […]
UNC Women's Soccer Jumps to No. 1 in Newest National Coaches Poll
On the heels of a six-match winning streak which included a 4-2 win against then-No. 2 Duke, UNC jumped six spots from No. 7 to the No. 1 ranking in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll, released Tuesday. It’s the first time the team has been ranked No. 1 since the 2025 preseason poll, when […]
Photo Gallery: UNC Women's Soccer vs. Alcorn State
UNC beat Alcorn State 5-0 at Dorrance Field Sunday afternoon. Check out Caleb Rothrock's photo highlights from the match!
This Week in UNC Sports: September 21-27, 2026
This series of posts will be made weekly on Chapelboro with a full schedule of UNC sports contests, both in Chapel Hill and elsewhere. Note that game times and broadcast information are subject to change due to inclement weather or other factors. It’s a lighter week for UNC sports as we approach the end of […]
UNC Sports: Women's Soccer Wins; Men's Soccer, Field Hockey Both Lose
It was a busy weekend across the UNC sports spectrum, as both soccer teams and the field hockey team were in action late Saturday and early Sunday. The women’s soccer team continued its hot streak with a blowout win, while the men’s soccer and field hockey teams each suffered conference losses. The men’s team took […]
Second-Half Comeback Helps UNC Women's Soccer Beat No. 2 Duke in Chapel Hill
In front of the second-largest crowd in program history, UNC scored three unanswered goals in the second half to overcome a 2-1 deficit and beat No. 2 Duke 4-2 at Dorrance Field Thursday night. It was the Blue Devils’ first loss of the season and the Tar Heels’ first win of the season against a […]
This Week in UNC Sports: September 14-20, 2026
The upcoming week offers several high-caliber matchups for multiple UNC teams both at home and on the road.
UNC Women's Soccer Locks Down Cal, Wins ACC Opener
UNC held visiting Cal without a single shot on target Thursday night at Dorrance Field, and the Tar Heels cruised to a 3-0 win in their first ACC match of the season. Only way to start ACC play 👏#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/kHB8FgH2pT — UNC Women's Soccer (@uncwomenssoccer) September 11, 2026 Carolina took the lead inside […]
UNC Soccer: Women Win at Arizona State, Men Draw at Cal
Both the UNC men’s and women’s soccer teams were playing out west Sunday. The women used a penalty kick goal to beat Arizona State 1-0 in Tempe, while the men battled to a 2-2 draw against Cal in Berkeley. On the women’s side, the Tar Heels and Sun Devils combined for just seven total shots […]
›