BOX SCORE

The High Point University women's soccer team held No. 4 North Carolina scoreless for almost 70 minutes but a late UNC goal gave the Tar Heels a 1-0 win in the first round of the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship Friday night in Chapel Hill, N.C. Senior goalkeeper Marisa Abbott (Troy, N.Y./Tamarac) made a career-high 14 saves in her final collegiate game.

“Tonight was an unbelievable performance,” said head coach Marty Beall. “We knew coming into the game that playing North Carolina, with their speed and athleticism and outstanding players that they have, that we had to have a certain game plan against them. We couldn't play the way we had been playing in the conference tournament. So we came up with a different game plan and it paid dividends. I thought the girls played fantastically. The girls showed their resilience tonight for 90 minutes. To be able to limit North Carolina to one goal in a 90 minute game, I am extremely proud of our kids.”

North Carolina had previously beaten High Point in the first round of the NCAA tournament by scores of 8-0 in 2003 and 6-1 in 2007, but on Friday the 16th-best scoring offense in the nation was unable to put the ball in the net for much of the game against a swarming Panther defense.

“We knew coming in that we were going to defend for the majority of tonight's game,” said Beall. “North Carolina is one of the top teams in the country and we knew we would have to withstand their pressure. Our girls did an outstanding job in our system and played together as a unit. They were absolutely fantastic tonight.”

The Tar Heels controlled the attack in the opening 45, but Abbott and the High Point defense kept UNC off the board and the two teams headed to the locker rooms locked in a scoreless tie. Abbott made eight saves in the first period including several diving stops to keep the game knotted at 0.

The Tar Heels finally broke through on their 26th shot on the night when Lindsey Bronze drove home a rebound off the right post in the 69th minute of play. Abbott got a piece of the ball but couldn't keep it out of the net. The goal broke a scoreless streak of 597 minutes for Abbott who hadn't allowed a goal since the 86th minute of play against Liberty on Oct. 17.

UNC looked to add to their lead in the final 20 minutes but were unable to find a hole in the HPU defense, settling for the one-goal win.

Abbott's 14 saves gives her 134 for the season and 259 for her career, both HPU Division I records. She leaves High Point as the school's DI single-season and career leader in wins, shutouts and saves.

High Point closed the year with a 5-2-1 record in its final eight games to finish the season with an overall record of 7-15-2. High Point's defense played a large role in the late season surge, allowing just three goals in the final eight games while recording five shutouts.