Nov. 3, 2000

Becky Worthington (Fairview Village, Pa./Methacton) was a brick wall tonight, stopping five penalty strokes and lifting the Cavaliers to the upset over second-ranked and top-seeded North Carolina. Worthington stopped a stroke in the first overtime period, and in the strokes to settle the game after the two overtime periods, she stopped four more to send the Hoos (14-6) to the ACC finals.

The Tar Heels got on the board first as Abby Martin connected on a penalty corner play at the 17:31 mark in the first half. She was assisted on the play by Jana Toepel.

Virginia tied the game 47 seconds into the second half as Katie Slocum (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle Area) dribbled into the circle and pushed the ball into the cage to tie the game. The Tar Heels had nine shots in the half, but Worthington made six saves to keep the Hoos in the contest.

In the first overtime session, the Tar Heels were awarded a corner and on the ensuing shot Julia Richardson (Atlanta, Ga./Stone Ridge) stopped the ball with her foot, giving the Heels a stroke. Abby Martin's stroke went to Worthington's left side, which she batted away, giving the Cavaliers a 16-yard hit coming out.

In the second overtime session, the Cavaliers were awarded three corners but were unable to convert. They were also able to keep the Heels from taking a shot, sending the contest to strokes to determine a winner.

The Heels took the first stroke, and Kate Sidebottom converted for UNC. Jessica Coleman (Oceanport, N.J./Shore Regional) responded for the Cavaliers, going high right. Worthington then stopped Carrie Lingo's stroke, but Richardson pushed her shot wide. Jana Toepel, Abby Woolley, and Abby Martin then scored for the Heels as did Molly McManus (Oakton, Va./Oakton), Katie Jo Gerfen (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) and Carrie Goodloe (St. Louis, Mo./John Burroughs) for the Cavaliers.

In the second round of best-of-five strokes, the Cavaliers went first, and Coleman put her ball high right. Worthington then stopped Sidebottom's stroke to put the Hoos up 1-0. Gerfen converted for the Cavaliers and then Lingo answered for the Heels. McManus' shot was denied by Tran, but Worthington stopped Toepel's stroke to her feet, keeping the Hoos up 2-1 after three strokes. Goodloe put her stroke to the sideboard, putting the Cavaliers up 3-1, and when Worthington brickwalled Woolley's stroke at her feet, the Cavaliers had the upset win.

The win in strokes is the first win in strokes for the Hoos since the Cavaliers upset the Tar Heels in the first round of the NCAA Championships in 1984. They advance to the ACC Finals for the third time in the last four years (1997, 1998) where they will play third-seeded and host Maryland. The game will be played on Sunday, Nov. 5 at 3:30 pm and will be televised by HTS.

1-2-ot-ot-PS-PS=F
Virginia 0-1-0-0-(4)-(4)=2
N. Carolina 1-0-0-0-(4)-(1)=1

Scoring Summary: 17:31 - UNC, pc, Abby Martin (Jana Toepel), 34:13 - UVA, fg, Katie Slocum

UVA goal: Slocum
UNC goal: Martin

UNC assist: Toepel

Goalies: UVA: Worthington (100 mins, 11 saves, 1 GA)
UNC: Tran (100 mins, 7 saves, 1 GA)

Stokes: UNC 0-1 (regulation)

Shots: UVA 10, UNC 20
Corners: UVA 6, UNC 13