Virginia twice led, but fourth-ranked North Carolina rallied twice, and took the lead for good on a goal in the 74th minute in a 3-2 win on Friday in Chapel Hill.
The 19th-ranked Cavaliers (8-3-0, 1-3-0 ACC) struck first with a penalty kick from Maggie Cagle in the 18th minute. Cagle was awarded the PK after she had her ankles clipped from behind as she entered the box on the left side to set up the chance.
North Carolina (11-1-0, 4-0-0 ACC) tied things up in the 30th minute when Maddie Dahlien picked up a ball down the left side and sent a centering pass to Linda Ullmark near the spot. Ullmark redirected with her left foot and slipped it in past the left post for the score.
Virginia took the lead back five minutes later on a goal from Yuna McCormack. Cagle played a ball ahead to McCormack on the left side that the sophomore midfielder picked up in stride behind the defense. McCormack took two touches as she glided into the box and got the one-on-one chance against the UNC keeper. McCormack finished with the shot slotted between the keeper and the left post.
The Tar Heels got back to square in the 38th minute with a similar play as Ullmark played a ball ahead to Kate Faasse on the run. Fassee also got a one-on-one chance and finished her chance to the top center of the goal.
UNC took the lead for the first time in the 74th minute when Ullmark struck for the second time on the evening. She picked up the ball near the top left corner of the box, moved back and to her right to create space against her defender and sent the shot across and into the side netting by the back post.
“I’m proud of the way our team competed tonight, but we are all disappointed in the result,” UVA coach Steve Swanson said. “We need to find ways to win games like these and right now we are doing the opposite. We had some good stretches, though, which we can take from the game, but also a lot of lessons.”
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Chris Graham
