Down 1-0 in the 88th minute, Arizona State raced down the pitch, desperately looking for the tying goal to keep their undefeated streak alive. ASU fervently attacked the box, creating chances at the goal, attempting to force a tie against No. 9 UNC.
Yet, in the dying embers, the Sun Devils possible comeback was put on a steady halt. Good backline defending and a lack of shots on target saw the possible chance of a draw with the 2024 National Champions slip through their fingers.
North Carolina defeated Arizona State on the road 1-0, completing its tour of Arizona following their win over the University of Arizona three days prior. North Carolina ended its road trip at Sun Devil Stadium on Sunday with a hard-fought victory that tested their resilience in the second half.
“The girls ran their socks off,” ASU coach Graham Winkworth said. “They were extremely organized defensively … (I am) really proud of the efforts defensively.”
Arizona State’s halftime adjustments were key to its momentum swing, as graduate midfielder Peyton Marcisz recalls Winkworth telling his players to play over the top to counter North Carolina’s press.
“Play the ball in the air, play some long balls,” Marcisz said. “They don’t want that … So, they were pressing us good, but we played over them.”
The stat sheet couldn’t capture the full story of the game; despite a percentage rate below 40%, the Sun Devils looked the part in the second half. With a plethora of chances in and around the box, the chance at evening the score against the Tar Heels seemed so near and yet so far.
Winkworth was pleased with his team’s valiant second-half performance. While the scoreboard and stat sheet, in terms of possession, may reflect a different tune, he felt that even without the ball, his team stayed in control throughout most of the second half.
“I thought the girls did a fantastic job,” Winkworth said. “Honestly, I thought we were the better team in the second half with the chances created. Sometimes you can be in control of the game without the ball, and, in most of the game, we were”
UNC’s defensive press gave Arizona State fits, leading to more quality possessions for the attack, outshooting ASU four to three on total shots and two to one on shots on target.
Despite a valiant second-half effort guiding ASU to a possible draw against a top-ten team in the nation, the first half told a different story. UNC sliced through ASU’s backline. Freshman defender Gator DeMark, who subbed on for freshman defender Ava Medley, was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Following a stretch of Tar Heels possession that saw them drive the ball into the box, DeMark went for a sliding tackle, committing a foul in the box and leading to a penalty shot. The mistake proved the difference: despite sophomore goalkeeper Kennedy Zorn guessing correctly, she couldn’t stop graduate student midfielder Summer Denigan’s powerful strike into the top corner.
Winkworth cited physicality as a point of emphasis and a key component in being able to hang alongside a team with the pedigree and talent of UNC.
“You know, we’re not trying to be dirty,” Winkworth said. “We’re not trying to foul anybody, but we want to be physical. We want to match the physicality … I thought the girls did a wonderful job in that”.
Arizona State drops its first game of the season and looks to bounce back at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium, when it takes on Grambling State for senior night on Friday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m. MST.
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