Miami Soccer Shuts Out No. 7 North Carolina, 1-0
Sept. 30, 2007
<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Coral Gables, Fla.–Freshman Brittney Steinbruch (Wyckoff, N.J.) fired in the game-winning goal in the 67th minute as the University of Miami women’s soccer team upended No. 7 North Carolina, 1-0, at Cobb Stadium on Sunday afternoon.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
It marked the first win for the Hurricanes (6-2-2, 2-0 ACC) over the Tar Heels (7-3-0, 1-1 ACC), and the best start for Miami in ACC play since joining the league four years ago. After the opening weekend in ACC play, the Hurricanes are the only undefeated team, as all 10 other programs have either lost or tied an ACC opponent.
“We always knew and believed we could do this. There have been some games in which we’ve come close, but it feels really good to get this win after working and working and working, and finally being able to break through,” said sixth-year head Miami coach Tricia Taliaferro. “We are a very blue-collar team and play with a lot of heart and a lot of passion. In the pre-game we talked about being disciplined and believing we can win this game. It was true grit.
“It’s a good foundation for us – knowing that we can do it and that we actually did it. Those are two different things. I think it’s great for the players to experience it and to do it against the national champions from last year.”
Just one minute and 11 seconds into the match, competition was suspended due to the presence of lightening in the area. It was the second-straight game the Tar Heels had to patiently wait out Mother Nature and was the second time in the last three games for the Hurricanes.
When play resumed just over an hour later, UNC came out firing and Yael Averbuch took possession of the ball in front of the Miami net in the 14th minute and got off a shot, but it was blocked by a Hurricane defender and the deflection sailed wide left of the goal.
With four minutes remaining in the opening period, UM freshman Lauren Singer (Mt. Sinai, N.Y.) received a pass at midfield and raced up the sideline, sending a shot just right of the goal.
Although the Tar Heels out-shot the Hurricanes, 11-3, in the opening half and held the 5-1 advantage in corner kicks, the teams headed into the break in a scoreless tie.
In the 63rd minute, UNC appeared to jump out to the 1-0 lead, but the goal was nullified by an offsides call.
Four minutes later, UM sophomore Jessica Wyble (Potomac, Md.) fed the ball to Steinbruch – Miami’s leading scorer and the NCAA’s fifth-ranked goal scorer, who raced towards the Carolina penalty box. In a 3-on-1 situation, UNC goalkeeper Anna Rodenbough came out of the goal and Steinbruch chipped the game-winning goal into the open net between the keeper and a pair of Carolina defenders.
It was Steinbruch’s team-leading 11th goal of the season and her fourth game-winning goal. With the score she moves up the UM recordbook — into a tie for ninth-place in career goals (11), into a tie for seventh place in career game-winning goals (4), into a tie for fourth place in single-season points (24), into a tie for second in single-season goals (11) and into third place in single-season shots (64).
With 14 minutes to go, UNC put together an offensive barrage, firing off six straight shots in six minutes, but Miami goalkeeper Lauren McAdam (Simsbury, Conn.) and stellar defensive play by the Hurricanes, preserved the shutout.
In McAdam’s fifth win and second shutout of the season, the senior finished with six saves on 26 shots by Carolina. Rodenbough picked up the loss for UNC to fall to 2-3-0, and finished with one save on a season-low nine shots by UM.
The Hurricanes hit the road to continue their ACC slate. They head to Blacksburg to face Virginia Tech (4-4-1, 0-2 ACC) on Thurs., Oct. 4, at 7 p.m. and then cross the state to Charlottesville, to take on No. 5 Virginia (7-1-2, 1-0-1 ACC) on Sun., Oct. 7, at 2 p.m.
