An hour into the UNC women’s soccer team’s national quarterfinal match at No. 1 seed BYU, the Tar Heels led 3-0. Thirty minutes later, Carolina walked off the pitch shellshocked for the second consecutive year. The Cougars scored four goals in the final half-hour of play to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and advance to the College Cup, in what is now tied for the largest comeback in NCAA Tournament history. UNC’s season is over.

Carolina scored early and often to build its shocking lead, as Maycee Bell put the Tar Heels on top less than two minutes into the action. Ally Sentnor then scored twice before the 20-minute mark to give UNC its 3-0 lead. Carolina outshot the Cougars 8-5 in the first half, but that stat would be turned upside down in the second.

BYU came blazing out of the locker rooms with chance after chance. UNC goalkeeper Emmie Allen made four saves in the first 13 minutes of the half, but the Cougars finally found the back of the net in the 61st minute to get on the board. Even still, UNC led by two goals, and more heroics from Allen kept it that way until the disastrous final 10 minutes. A BYU goal off a rebound in front of Allen’s net cut the lead to 3-2 in the 81st minute, and just 73 seconds later the Cougars equalized. With all the momentum, BYU continued to pressure and eventually found the match-winner in the 89th minute. UNC managed one more shot on goal in the final seconds but could not equalize back.

In total, the Cougars fired off 20 shots in the second half alone, with Allen forced into eight saves in the final 45 minutes. Carolina ended the night with a respectable 14 shots, but lagged far behind BYU’s 25.

This marks the second consecutive season in which UNC has lost an NCAA Tournament match in which the Tar Heels led inside the final 10 minutes of regulation. The Tar Heels end their season with a 13-2-8 record. The team still has not won a national championship since 2012, the longest such drought in program history.

 

Featured image via UNC Women’s Soccer on Twitter

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