Women's soccer team looking for long awaited breakthrough against UNC

During last Monday's NCAA Tournament selection show, an ESPN analyst said the No. 4-seeded Terrapin women's soccer team was the one team that had a chance of knocking off No. 1-seeded North Carolina in their own bracket.

The Terps will get their chance against a Tar Heel team they have never beaten when the teams meet in Chapel Hill, N.C., in the Sweet 16 on Saturday.

Overall, the Terps are 0-30-1 against North Carolina in the 23-year history of the program. It took 19 matches and 15 years for the Terps to even score a goal against the Tar Heels.

Right now, the Terps (14-5-2, 4-4-2 ACC) will need everything to go right for a win against the perennial power that is looking for its 20th national championship.

While the Terps lost their first match this season against North Carolina in an admirable 1-0 effort Nov. 1, they were dominated three days later in the first round of the ACC Tournament when the Tar Heels scored three goals on 17 shots.

"In some ways, it's a blessing because of the increased familiarity, but then also when you've lost to a team twice, you're not absolutely confident," coach Brian Pensky said. "Our team right now lacks some confidence to beat North Carolina. Sometimes we are wondering if we can really do this."

It's not a surprising thought — the Tar Heels have not allowed a goal in seven consecutive games, winning all of them. North Carolina, who won their 20th ACC Tournament championship almost two weeks ago, defeated High Point, 1-0, and Georgia, 4-0, in the first two rounds of the tournament.

But the Terps realize how different this year's team is. For the second time since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 2001, the Terps are in the Sweet 16. With a first round 4-0 win against Monmouth and a second round 1-0 win against Washington State, the Terps have 10 wins and no losses against non-conference opponents this season.

"To win in convincing fashion and rest some kids in the first round was great," Pensky said. "Washington State was a good opponent, and it was another good result for our résumé. Once again we showed we're a top-flight team."

But it still doesn't ease the challenge of facing North Carolina.

"It's kind of annoying to play them again, but I think we can play with them," goalkeeper Mary Casey said. "You know each other very well, and it gets tougher each game."

Both teams know each other inside and out — everything from formations to corner kick plays. This time the game will be at North Carolina, where more than where more than 1,200 fans packed the stands Sunday for the second round of the tournament.

"We don't even have to look at the scouting reports because we know what they're trying to do and their tendencies," defender Brittany Cummins said.

Right now, the Terps don't want their dream season to die.

"We have been talking all week about enjoying every minute of this — soak it in, embrace it and love it," Pensky said. "Yet at the same time, don't relax thinking we accomplished what we set out to do."

eckard@umdbk.com