UNC Women's Soccer Eliminated by West Virginia in NCAA Semifinals

The UNC women’s soccer team traveled to San Jose this past week just two wins away from making sure its senior class wouldn’t be the first in school history to graduate without a national championship.

As it turns out, however, top-ranked West Virginia had other ideas.

Michaela Abam scored her 12th goal of the season with time winding down in the second half, and the Mountaineers then held on for a 1-0 victory over the Tar Heels in the NCAA Semifinals.

The Tar Heels had recorded shutouts in each of their last five games entering Friday’s match, a span that lasted nearly an entire month.

UNC head coach Anson Dorrance has now gone four straight seasons without a national championship–the first time in his career that has ever happened. (Jeffrey A. Camarati/ UNC Athletics)

Unfortunately, that one goal was all West Virginia would need–as the Mountaineers proved to the world why they’re the consensus number one team in the nation.

Led by National Player of the Year Kadeisha Buchanan on defense, West Virginia held the Tar Heels without a single shot during the first half. Although UNC recorded eight shots after halftime, none of them were on target.

“They are very athletic,” Tar Heel head coach Anson Dorrance said after the game. “It was very hard for us to get in behind them effectively. It was also very hard for us to beat them one-on-one effectively.

“Honestly, their best qualities were certainly [Kadeisha] Buchanan’s heading in the back, their general athleticism as a team, and also they are very good one-on-one offensively and defensively.”

Following Abam’s goal in the 73rd minute, UNC turned up the offensive pressure but was unable to break through.

Freshman forwards Madison Schultz and Bridgette Andrzejewski–the team’s top scoring threats this season–each had chances late in the game, but watched them sail just over the crossbar.

After starting the season 5-2-1, the Tar Heels closed out the year 12-2-3 in their final 17 games. For a team dominated by young players, there should be plenty of reasons for UNC to be excited heading into next year.

“If you saw us in August you would have been horrified at our level,” Dorrance said. “I wouldn’t say we are a great team now, but we are quite solid. The progression that we made has been off the charts.

“Coaching them in every practice has been an absolute joy and they put themselves in this position and I am incredibly proud of them.”