Dec. 12, 2004

By Dave Lohse,
Associate Director of Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - On December 5, 2004, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish went to sudden death penalty kicks to subdue the UCLA Bruins in the championship match of the NCAA women's soccer tournament. With the victory, Notre Dame became the first school other than the University of North Carolina to win more than one national championship in women's soccer history on the collegiate level. For the record, North Carolina won the second of its 18 national titles in women's soccer on November 21, 1982, a 2-0 victory over Central Florida on the Knights' home field in Orlando, Fla.

Recently I have been asked if the Tar Heel women's soccer program is in some kind of decline? The question is so ludicrous I don't even really know how to reply to it. But to some people the dynasty that is the Carolina women's soccer program may appear to be struggling because in three of the past four years UNC has failed to win the national championship, something Carolina has accomplished 18 times in the 24 years a titlist has been crowned.

Heck, in 2004, the Tar Heels failed to win a title of any kind for the first time since 1985. Not only did UNC not win the NCAA championship but also Virginia won the ACC championship on sudden death penalty kicks against the Tar Heels last month, only the second time Carolina has failed to win that crown since it came into existence in 1987.

I find questions about UNC's potential decline not only insultingly condescending to the level of opposition the Tar Heels now face on a regular basis in the sport but also a slap in the face to the amazing accomplishments of this program. And amazing they are. They are, in fact, amazing beyond belief.

When Santa Clara upset the Tar Heels in the third round of this year's NCAA Tournament it marked the first time in 24 national tournaments that Carolina has failed to advance to the final four. After the loss I remarked to someone that maybe now many observers of this program will appreciate finally the over the top accomplishments it has compiled. In all honesty, no one school in any sport should go to the final four 23 straight years. And even with the overtime loss to the Broncos in a match where UNC dominated the run of play and held a 19-5 shot advantage, Carolina's all-time record now stands at 579-26-17 after 26 full years of play. If that record does not boggle the mind then you need a reality check.

Still, it took 24 years worth of crowning national champions for someone other than UNC to get that elusive second title. Notre Dame turned the trick and Coach Randy Waldrum and his team deserve all the praise they have received. Ironically, Santa Clara has taken over the chief role of North Carolina eliminator in the NCAA Tournament. The Broncos have knocked the Tar Heels out of the tournament three of the last four years and once you get the 800-pound gorilla that is North Carolina out of the bracket, it really opens things up. Santa Clara itself has not been able to gain the most from its efforts, however, as the Broncos have only one title despite the three wins over UNC in tourney play and that came when Santa Clara beat the Tar Heels in the final game itself in 2001. In both 2002 and 2004 the Broncos knocked out Carolina but lost to teams--Portland and Notre Dame--which gained the championship.

So is the Tar Heel program is some kind of decline? Hardly. How can any team that has lost only 26 matches in 26 years as a varsity sport even be considered to be slumping? Yes, UNC has only one NCAA title in the last four years to show for its efforts. But so do Santa Clara, Portland and Notre Dame and they have made tremendous efforts of their own in those four years. Parity has arrived in collegiate women's soccer. That's reality. North Carolina is one of many good teams that every year can win the national championship.

The Tar Heels should come back very hungry in 2005. UNC returns nine of 11 starters, as only forward Anne Morrell and midfielder Anne Felts were seniors in the 11 players who started the final game of the season against Santa Clara. In addition, 2004 Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Tarpley, who missed most of this past season with a broken leg, will be back at full strength. First-team All-Americas Heather O'Reilly and Lori Chalupny at striker and attacking center midfielder also return and Head Coach Anson Dorrance will welcome another good recruiting class when national signing day comes in February. There's no guarantee the Tar Heels will win the national championship next season with this talented collection of individuals but to think for one second this program is in any state of decline is, well, patently absurd. And if that seems harsh, so be it.