Hurricanes Upset No. 2 North Carolina
Oct. 25, 2009
CORAL GABLES – The University of Miami women’s soccer team (8-8-1, 3-4-1) upended the defending National Champion and second ranked North Carolina (12-3-1, 5-3-0) by a 1-0 score, Sunday afternoon at Cobb Stadium. UNC is the highest ranked opponent Miami has ever defeated.
The Hurricanes’ senior captains provided the games only score in the 81st minute. Jessica Wyble fed the ball to Beverly Goebel, who won the 50/50 challenge from a UNC defender before a blast from 25 yards out found the upper right corner of the net.
“I felt everything around me and I knew I had this,” said Goebel. “My teammates allowed me to be in position and I finished it for them.”
Goebel’s goal was her third of the season, tying her with Brittney Steinbruch and Kate Howarth for the team lead. More impressive than the goal may have been the play of the Hurricane defense. Miami’s game plan coming in was to not get beat outside and the `Canes backline performed to perfection. Vikki Alonzo picked up her sixth shutout of the season, only needing to make two saves – both in the second half.
“Unbelievable, for the team to show the character and to be able to come out and play the way we did, meant more than the last time that we beat (UNC),” said head coach Tricia Taliaferro. “Our back line and Vikki did great and our midfield winning a lot of balls, kept the momentum in our favor.”
Even though Alonzo was only counted on to make a pair of saves, didn’t mean that the sophomore keeper was busy. The Carrollton, Texas native punched out numerous Tar Heel services, corners and even long throw-ins.
In 2007, Steinbruch scored the game-winner over then No.7 North Carolina, in the last match between the two at Cobb Stadium. On Sunday afternoon, she peppered UNC with a game-high seven shots and nearly scored just 1:17 into the contest. The Wyckoff, N.J. received a pass in the middle of the pitch and found herself in a one vs. one with UNC’s keeper Ashlyn Harris. Harris charged to cut the angle and was able to save the shot.
Just one minute before Goebel’s goal, Steinbruch broke free and lofted the ball over the keeper for what looked like to be headed to the back of the net, but after a bounce it rolled just wide. However, the crowd of 869 fans and the game’s momentum were on UM’s side.
“Not one person played poorly today. Everybody believed. Everybody put their heart and soul out there and I think whenever this group does that things like this can happen, added Taliaferro.
Miami’s defense held the high-powered Tar Heels without a shot registered on goal in the opening half.
For the first time since 2000 and only the fourth time in program history, North Carolina lost back-to-back games. This past Thursday, UNC fell by a 3-2 score in double-overtime to Florida State. Coincidentally, FSU defeated the Tar Heels 3-2 in double-overtime in 2000, then UNC lost its next game to Wake Forest by the same 1-0 score as they did on Sunday.
Miami has only met North Carolina seven times, but already has beaten the nation’s most dominant program twice – joining Florida State and Duke as the only Atlantic Coast Conference teams to defeat UNC more than once.
The Hurricanes wrap up their regular season with a two-match road trip at Virginia Tech and Virginia on Friday, Oct. 30 and Sunday, Nov.1 respectively.
