You come at the queen, you best not miss.

The UNC women’s soccer team will play for its 23rd national championship in program history after defending national champion and No. 1 overall seed Florida State 3-2 in Friday night’s national semifinal in Cary.

Carolina briefly led 3-0 midway through the second half, but two goals in the span of 10 minutes by the Seminoles (including one less than a minute after UNC’s third) made for a taut and tense final stretch. The Tar Heels gutted through 13 corner kicks and 25 shots from Florida State, but goalkeeper Emmie Allen made a career-high nine saves on the night to keep Carolina in front. She pounced on a desperate Seminole cross as time ticked below 10 seconds remaining and was able to run out the rest of the clock.

Aleigh Gambone, Tori Hansen and Julia Dorsey each scored for the Tar Heels. Gambone’s came late in the first half, with Carolina making a rare foray into the Seminole 16-yard box. Gambone pounced on a sloppy clearance by the Florida State defense and launched it into the top of the net to open the scoring.

After halftime, it was Hansen who scored UNC’s second on a penalty kick after a Seminole handball inside the box. Hansen has still not missed a penalty kick this season and has eight goals in total for the Tar Heels. Dorsey added UNC’s third goal of the night just seven minutes later by heading in a free kick from Emily Moxley. For about 30 seconds, it appeared Carolina would run away with the match, but the Seminoles got one back immediately, and it was game on from there.

The thrilling win gives Carolina the season series win against the Seminoles, having won in Tallahassee in the regular season and lost the ACC Championship against them. Coincidentally, that match was also played in Cary.

Now, UNC will await the winner of Alabama and UCLA, both No. 1 seeds, in Monday night’s championship match. It’s Carolina’s first appearance in the national championship since 2019, and the program is vying for its first title since 2012, which is already the longest drought in team history. Kickoff on Monday night is scheduled for 6 p.m.

 

Featured image via UNC Women’s Soccer on Twitter

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