UNC Downs SDSU 2-0

Friday, November 14

Chapel Hill, N.C.

4:00 PM

South Dakota State University

North Carolina

11/14/2014 6:54:00 PM | Women's Soccer

By: SDSU Sports Info

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina downed the South Dakota State women's soccer team, 2-0, Friday night in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Fetzer Field.

The Tar Heels, ranked sixth in the nation and a second seed in the tournament, scored two goals in the first half and then kept a pressing Jackrabbit team from finding the back of the net in the second half.

Nicole Inskeep made seven saves, and defenders Delaney Ratcliffe, Dani Patterson, Katie McNeary and Ashley Adams limited North Carolina's looks in the second half by outracing and outmuscling speedier forwards to clear the ball out of danger.

"I couldn't be prouder of you right now," head coach Lang Wedemeyer told his team after the game. "You played right with the top team in the country."

The Tar Heels jumped out to the lead in the 16^th minute. After the Jackrabbits took the ball up the field, Shelby Raper's pass to Diana Potterveld was picked off just inside the box. Amber Munerlyn was then sprung up the field by a long pass and, after splitting the South Dakota State defense, she laced the ball into the back of the net.

In the 23^rd minute, North Carolina almost made it a two-goal game after some tic-tac-toe passing gave Joanna Boyles a clear look at the net. Inskeep made a sprawling save to keep her team within one.

The Jackrabbits had their best scoring opportunity of the first half with six minutes remaining. After Lauren Kressock carried the ball up the field, a Tar Heel knocked it out of play. On the resulting throw in, Potterveld sent a pass to Raper, but Raper couldn't get enough of a handle on the bouncing ball to take a shot.

The Tar Heels lengthened their lead to 2-0 with less than four minutes remaining in the first half off a Paige Nielsen goal. After Maya Worth tracked down the ball before it could cross the line, she sent a pass to Nielsen, who knocked it into the net.

In the first half, the Tar Heels outshot the Jackrabbits, 11-0. Inskeep made three saves to keep South Dakota State in the game.

In the 53^rd minute, Tori Poole drew a foul just outside of the box, giving the Jackrabbits a free kick and a prime chance to draw within one. Patterson found Nicole Hatcher in the box, but the freshman's header sailed high. Minutes later, South Dakota State began to press, with Adams maintaining control of the ball deep in the North Carolina end. Lindsey Harris eventually covered the ball before a Jackrabbit could take a shot.

In the 65^th minute, South Dakota State earned the first corner kick of the game. Potterveld outleaped the Tar Heel defense to get a header off, but Harris was there to make the save.

McNeary and Inskeep teamed to keep North Carolina from pulling ahead by three in the 72^nd minute. S.A. Firstenberg managed to get behind the Jackrabbit defense, but McNeary got back to pressure her, forcing her to take a quick shot that Inskeep covered.

South Dakota State finishes the season with a 10-8-2 record. The Jackrabbits captured both the Summit League regular-season and tournament titles this season. This was their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2008.