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Athletics

Tar Heels battle to finish but fall in NCAA championship game

Carolina finishes season with splendid 21-4-2 record.

Members of the women's soccer team huddle on the field
(Jeffrey A. Camarati)

Carolina’s quest for a 23rd national collegiate title in women’s soccer fell just short Sunday as the Tar Heels fell to fifth-ranked Florida State 1-0 in the national championship game. Before a crowd of 12,512 fans at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, the third-ranked Tar Heels saw their season end with a record of 21-4-2 while Florida State won its second NCAA championship and finished 20-4-3.

The only goal of the game came at the 59:53 as Dallas Dorosy scored her seventh goal of the season assisted by Deyna Castellanos. Castellanos served a ball from the right side that Dorosy slid onto with her shot deflecting off Carolina defender Lotte Wubben-Moy and sneaking inside the right post. Carolina goalkeeper Samantha Leshnak appeared to have Dorosy’s shot covered as she went to her right to smother it. But the deflection sent the ball into the right side instead.

Both teams took eight shots in the game with FSU outshooting Carolina 6-2 in the first half and the Tar Heels outshooting the Seminoles 6-2 in the second half. Carolina finished with five corner kicks while the Seminoles had one corner kick.

Samantha Leshnak made two saves for Carolina and Caroline Jeffers had two saves for the Seminoles. Carolina’s shots on goal came 56 seconds into the game by Alex Kimball and at the 71:59 mark by Madison Schultz. Perhaps Carolina’s best chance to score came at 35:50 when a header by Rachael Dorwart off a Lotte Wubben-Moy corner kick went just wide of the left post.

After Dorosy’s goal, Carolina did not allow another shot in the game but the Florida State defense buckled down, allowing Carolina only four shots over the final 30:07 and not conceding a tying goal.

Read more about Sunday’s game on GoHeels.com.