It’s been a great week for the UNC women’s soccer team. The Heels scored a rivalry win over Duke last Thursday, rallying from a 2-1 deficit to win the match 4-2. Carolina followed that victory up by defeating an out-matched Alcorn State team 5-0 on Saturday. UNC entered this week with a 9-1 record, 2-0 in ACC play. Their lone loss is to a Michigan State that was ranked fifth in the country at the time in a game where the Tar Heels outshot the Spartans 21-7, but were unable to capitalize.
The pollsters
have taken notice of UNC’s success as well; this week, the Intercollegiate Women’s Soccer Organization for Coaches (IWSOC) ranked Carolina number one in the country. The Heels jumped from seventh place to first after their wins last week. This marks the 38th season that the UNC women’s soccer team has been ranked number one at some point in the season, which frankly is an amazing statistic and a testament to how dominant the women’s program has been over the years.
One of the players primarily responsible for UNC’s win over the Blue Devils garnered some individual recognition this week as well. Lilliah Blum was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Week on Tuesday. The senior midfielder scored the first brace of her career, netting UNC’s first two goals against Duke. She also assisted on Carolina’s fourth goal that effectively ended Duke’s comeback attempts. Blum now has four goals and 10 assists for the season.
UNC’s newly minted #1 ranking will immediately get tested. The Heels next face 16th ranked Virginia on the road. Kickoff is set for 7pm Eastern Time on Friday in Charlottesville, Virginia.
