Despite leading 4-1 in the third quarter and carrying a 4-2 lead into the final 15 minutes, UNC fell to No. 20 Old Dominion 5-4 in overtime at Karen Shelton Stadium Friday.

The Tar Heels had race out to a 2-0 lead in a dominant first quarter, one which saw UNC hold the Monarchs without a shot. Ella Barbacci and Molly Nussbaumer scored for Carolina, with Barbacci’s goal giving UNC the lead after just 47 seconds. Charly Bruder scored midway through the second quarter to up that lead to 3-0, but ODU’s Serena Langendoen scored before halftime to cut that advantage down to 3-1.

Barbacci scored again in the third quarter to restore UNC’s three-goal lead before the Monarchs answered just 32 seconds later. The score stood at 4-2 entering the fourth quarter.

That quarter saw the Monarchs dominate possession, as ODU outshot UNC 15-3 across the final 15 minutes. Sofia Marciano, who had scored the Monarchs’ goal in the third quarter, struck again in the fourth to bring the deficit down to one at 4-3. Five minutes later, the Monarchs finally drew even again at 4-4.

UNC had a golden opportunity to steal the game back in the final minutes. After a penalty corner and a blocked shot, the Tar Heels earned a penalty stroke with 1:15 to go. Bruder stepped to the spot, but ODU goalie Suus Broers came up with the clutch stop to preserve the tie. Neither team manufactured another chance in the final seconds of regulation.

In the overtime period, Bruder, Coco Courtright and Barbacci each had chances at the cage, but it was ODU’s Langendoen who struck the winning blow after more than 10 minutes of sudden-death play. She scored the deciding goal on a penalty stroke, giving the Monarchs the upset win after they had not led for a single second.

Friday’s loss drops UNC to 2-3 overall, with each of the team’s three losses coming by one goal and two of them coming in overtime. Up next, Carolina will visit Richmond Sunday at 12 p.m.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jeffrey A. Camarati

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