Nov. 13, 2005

Box Score

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Senior forward Lindsay Tarpley recorded her first hat trick in 363 days and second-ranked North Carolina exploded for three goals in each half en route to a 6-2 win over Virginia Commonwealth in the second round of the 2005 NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament at Fetzer Field. A crowd of 1,799 was on hand as UNC improved to 22-1 on the season while the Rams' campaign ended with a mark of 13-5-5.

UNC advances to the third round of the championship and the Tar Heels will play host to No. 15 Pepperdine (15-3-3) next Saturday at 6 p.m. in that round. The Waves defeated Samford 2-0 in the second round of the tournament Sunday in Nashville.

Tarpley's offensive explosion fueled a Carolina offense which had its highest goal scoring output since a 6-1 victory against the University of San Francisco on September 9. It is the fourth time this season the Tar Heels have scored six or more goals in a match.

"We're excited to be advancing. I was particularly excited with the amount of goals we scored," said North Carolina head coach Anson Dorrance who won his 601st career game and 85th game in the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels improved to a perfect 10-0 in NCAA Round of 32 games as well.

"For us to score that many against a quality team is immensely satisfying," Dorrance continued.

Tarpley now has scored 13 career NCAA Tournament goals and she is only two behind Mia Hamm's school record for goals scored in NCAA Tournament games. Tarpley also has 18 career assists in NCAA games for a total of 44 points. Her 18 assists are an NCAA record for career assists in tournament play and her 44 points rank as UNC's career record for points scored in NCAA games. Even more amazing may be Tarpley's performances in Round of 32 games in the NCAA Tournament in her career. She has scored six goals and passed for seven assists in those games for 19 points. This is the second straight year in which Tarpley has recorded a hat trick in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. She had three goals and one assist in UNC's 6-0 win over William & Mary in the second round last season. That game also marked Tarpley's last hat trick in any game.

"Lindsay is an amazing goal scorer. She always has been," said Dorrance. "What separates her from any other player I've ever seen is when she gets the ball there's one thing on her mind and that is to shoot. Lindsay Tarpley gets that basic philosophy better than any player I've ever seen." VCU co-head coach Denise Schilte-Brown said of Tarpley's performance, "Lindsay Tarpley had on a magic shoe today. Carolina is very effective at what they do and they finish their chances."

Tarpley was modest about her achievement. "Everybody on the field contributed to every goal today. I think that's the best part."

UNC got on the scoreboard at the 25:40 mark when senior defender Kendall Fletcher made a far post run and headed in a goal off a corner kick by freshman midfielder Yael Averbuch. The goal was Fletcher's fourth this season.

"Yael sent a magnificent ball in," said Fletcher. "All I had to do was redirect it."

Fletcher's goal began a three-goal barrage for the Tar Heels in only 11:34 of clock time. It is the 11th time this season in 23 games the Tar Heels have exploded for either three goals or four goals in a span of 15:41 or less.

The Tar Heels extended their lead less than six minutes after Fletcher's goal. Senior goalkeeper Aly Winget sent a punt far downfield that Tarpley eventually gained possession of on the left side of the penalty area. She slotted a shot far post past diving VCU goalkeeper Lauren Hardison, who finished the match with four saves while allowing six goals.

Just 5:59 later the Tar Heels made it 3-0 as senior midfielder Lori Chalupny dribbled a ball up the middle of the pitch for about 25 yards before sending a rocket inthe the lower left past Hardison from 21 yards out. It was Chalupny's ninth goal of the year and it became the eventual game-winner, her team-leading fifth in that category.

The Tar Heels put plenty of pressure on the Rams in the offensive end in the first half, outshooting them 11-1. Hardison made all four of her saves in the first half to prevent North Carolina from being even further ahead at that point.

Carolina went on to ousthoot the Rams 10-3 in the second half to finish with a 21-4 edge in shots. Of the six shots on goal the two teams combined for in the second half, five found the back of the net. UNC has allowed opponents to take only 14 shots in four post-season games.

VCU's Schilte-Brown was pleased with her team's effort despite the final score. "For long stretches of the game we were controlling play," she said. "We dominated at times."

Despite a seemingly comfortable 3-0 halftime lead, the Tar Heels' resolve did not wane in the second half. At the 54:26 mark, Lindsay Tarpley wove through the VCU defense to challenge Hardison on the edge of her goal line on the right side. The ball got pinged around before it found the foot of Yael Averbuch who buried a hard shot from the top of the box for her fourth goal of the season.

Exactly eight minutes later the Rams got on the board when Stephanie Power stole the ball from UNC defender Robyn Gayle in the deep left corner of the field. Power then sent an arching shot into the goal after UNC keeper Aly Winget had come out trying to cut down the angle on Power's scoring opportunity. The goal was the 10th of the year for Power.

Tarpley then kicked her game to another level as she took a ball sent by Averbuch off a direct kick and sent a shot from the left side of the box from 14 yards out into the back of the net for a 5-1 lead. The goal came at 70:56.

The two teams then scored goals 42 seconds apart in the 82nd and 83rd minutes to finish the scoring. After Ariel Harris was called for a foul on VCU's Sandra Anger after she had gotten behind the UNC defense, Anger stepped up and scored on the penalty kick at 81:49. It was the first goal Carolina has allowed on a PK this season.

Just 42 seconds later though the Tar Heels restored their four-goal margin as Tarpley tallied her third goal of the game and 12th of the season. Senior forward Corinne Black, who had entered the game in the 74th minute, slotted a ball across the goal mouth to Tarpley who then rammed home a shot from 10 yards out.

Tarpley's three goals give her 56 on her career which moved her into 12th place in Carolina history, one ahead of Stephanie Zeh and one behind Alyssa Ramsey. Chalupny's 29th career goal moved her into a tie for 28th place in UNC history and her point total of 90 now ranks her in a tie for 33rd place.