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Penn State women's soccer falls to North Carolina in national championship
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North Carolina's Kealia Ohai celebrates a goal scored against Penn State Sunday.
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SAN DIEGO -- North Carolina scored three goals in the second half to beat Penn State, 4-1, and win its 21st NCAA women's soccer championship.
The Tar Heels (15-5-3), who were making their 26th appearance in the final four College Cup, won the title for the first time since 2009.
Penn State, which was playing in its first women's soccer championship, finished 21-4-2.
With the score tied, 1-1, Hanna Gardner scored 48 seconds into the second half when she converted Katie Bowen's corner kick with a header past Penn State goalkeeper Erin McNulty. It was Gardner's second goal of the season.
Satara Murray, who had set up the Tar Heels first goal early in the opening half, made it 3-1 in the 64th minute when she put home a rebound of a shot by Kelly McFarlane. It was her first goal of the season.
A little over 10 minutes later, North Carolina's Crystal Dunn set up Ranee Premji on a pass from the end line on the left wing and Premji made a one-touch volley and it was 4-1.
North Carolina had taken a 1-0 lead in the second minute of play in the first half as Kealia Ohai rifled a shot on her left foot from just outside the top of the box 18 yards out into the upper right hand corner of the net. Murray had set up the scoring play with perfect high ball that led Ohai perfectly. For Ohai's, who scored an overtimewinner in North Carolina's semifinal victory, the goal was her ninth of the season.
Penn State got even in the 26th minute when Christine Nairn slipped a pass through three North Carolina defenders to Taylor Schram on the left wing and Schram shot over goalie Adelaide Gay into the far right-hand corner. It was Schram's fifth goal of the season.
North Carolina outshot Penn State, 24-12, including 15-8 in the second half.
First Published December 3, 2012 12:12 am
