Despite missing the ACC Tournament for the first time in program history, the UNC women’s soccer team is still well-positioned to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. The 64-team bracket, announced Monday afternoon, placed UNC as a No. 2 seed, with the Tar Heels hosting South Carolina at Dorrance Field in their first-round match.

The Tar Heels finished the regular season with a 12-2-3 record. They are ranked No. 7 in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll, as well as in the NCAA’s RPI system. Joining Carolina in its 16-team quadrant are No. 1 seed Virginia, No. 3 seed Southern California and No. 4 seed BYU. UNC and Virginia fought to a 0-0 draw at Dorrance Field earlier this season.

South Carolina enters the tournament with an 11-6-1 record, and are 6-3-1 in Southeastern Conference play. The Gamecocks are 1-1 against ranked foes this season. This will be the fifth time North and South Carolina have faced off in women’s soccer, and the third time they have met in the NCAA Tournament. The two teams split the previous four matches. The last meeting came in 2016, when UNC upset the Gamecocks in the NCAA quarterfinals to secure a birth in the College Cup.

The Tar Heels are one of nine ACC teams to make the NCAA field, the most of any conference. Five teams received Top 4 seeds, and three were seeded No. 1: Duke, Virginia and Florida State. To view the full bracket, click here.

Carolina has now made the NCAA Tournament in all 39 years of the women’s soccer program’s existence. With head coach Anson Dorrance at the helm, the Tar Heels have won 22 national titles. They have never dropped a first-round match.

UNC’s battle with South Carolina is scheduled for Saturday, November 13 at 2 p.m.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications


Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.