Bella Sember knocked in the rebound off her own missed penalty kick in the 90th minute to help Carolina secure a thrilling 1-0 win at No. 17 Cal on Thursday night. It was UNC’s first ever meeting with the Bears as conference foes.

The Tar Heels had been kept off the scoresheet for the match’s first 89 minutes despite holding a decisive advantage in possession. Sember’s goal was the 17th shot of the night for Carolina and the 11th on target. By comparison, Cal only had five total shots.

UNC goalkeeper Clare Gagne stopped all five of the Bears’ efforts, tying a season high, to earn her ninth shutout in the last 11 matches. Overall, Carolina has allowed just three total goals in those 11 matches after allowing six in its first three of the season.

Sember’s heroics came after Gagne made match-saving stops in the 88th and 90th minutes. Just seconds after the latter, the Tar Heels drew the penalty and set up the hectic final sequence, capped by Sember’s goal. It was her sixth goal of the season for the senior from New York and 12th of her Carolina career.

The win also marked a milestone for the program: its 250th victory in ACC regular-season play. The next-closest school sits 66 wins behind.

Carolina is now 13-1 overall on the season and 6-0 in league play. Its 13 wins match the team’s total from the 2023 season, and its five wins in true road environments surpass last year’s total of four. Up next for the Tar Heels is another stern test: a visit to No. 7 Stanford on Sunday at 4 p.m. Eastern time.

 

Featured image via UNC Women’s Soccer on Twitter

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