Syracuse defense holds off Tar Heels attack after early goal before breaking down in overtime loss

Two and a half minutes into overtime, North Carolina had a four-on-two opportunity stopped just outside Syracuse’s 18-yard-box when defender Erin Simon intercepted a pass.

Less than a minute later, Maddie Iozzi blocked a shot taken by UNC’s Summer Green.

But in the sixth minute of the extra period, Green dribbled along the right sideline and sent a cross on the ground and right in front of the goal for an easy one-touch finish by Paige Nielsen.

The Orange (5-10-4, 2-7-1 Atlantic Coast) competed with No. 5 North Carolina (12-2-2, 9-0-1) for over 95 minutes before losing 2-1 in overtime in its season finale at SU Soccer Stadium on Sunday. After surrendering a goal in the 17th minute of the game, SU’s defense defended the Tar Heels’ forwards by winning tackles and forcing them to play on one side of the field at a time.

“To take North Carolina to overtime is a moral victory in itself,” Syracuse head coach Phil Wheddon said. “Unfortunately it doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, but I thought our players worked really, really hard defensively.”

The Orange was eliminated from postseason contention over two weeks ago, but Wheddon said his team has still been practicing with enthusiasm.

Entering Sunday’s game, SU’s game plan was to keep the Tar Heels from opening up space with cross-field passes.

“If you allow them to knock the ball around and keep switching the point of attack all the time, they’re a very dangerous team with a lot of pace,” Wheddon said. “If you allow them to do that, they can expose you. I thought that we took that away from them at times.”

Throughout the entire season, Syracuse’s defense competed with some of the nation’s top teams — then-No. 13 Notre Dame, then-No. 2 Florida State and then-No. 24 Clemson. Before Sunday, the Orange hadn’t scored a goal since Oct. 4 while its defense held those teams to just two goals or less.

Once again, SU’s defense only broke down twice, but it still wasn’t good enough to earn a positive result.

“It’s really frustrating,” senior Alexis Koval said, “just because you put in that much effort for that long and it doesn’t come off your way at the end.”

With about five minutes before halftime, a pass was sent over the heads of Syracuse’s defensive players and into the middle of the 18-yard-box. Center defender Taylor Haenlin sprinted back and slid to kick the ball to the side of the field.

At the start of the second half, Syracuse went 10 minutes before having an offensive possession on North Carolina’s side of the field. The Orange struggled to clear the ball out of its own end and the Tar Heels earned two corner kicks in that span.

A few minutes later, Haenlin got in a footrace with UNC’s Emily Bruder down the sideline. Haenlin deflected the ball, but didn’t alter Bruder’s path toward SU’s goal. From just a few yards to the side, Bruder’s shot hit the outside of the net for a Syracuse goal kick.

“I think (the defense) really did amazing,” junior Maya Pitts said. “I think Taylor did a really well job today containing their forwards.”

After a disappointing five-win season, Koval said she is excited for the future. With 11 freshmen and 8 sophomores, Wheddon stressed all season that this was a growing year.

Syracuse can only go up from here, Koval said.

“It’s a good sign,” Koval said. “We just played the fifth team in the country so if we can stay with them, we can stay with anyone.”