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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Kennesaw State soccer team fought valiantly against the top team in the nation, but fell to No. 1 North Carolina, 3-0, in the finale of the Carolina Nike Classic on Sunday, September 1 at Fetzer Field.

"Overall I was very pleased with the match," said head coach Rob King. "We worked hard and kept it very tight in the first half. We were disappointed that we gave a goal up with 24 seconds remaining until half time. I thought we worked hard enough and limited their chances. Second half they came strong. They are the No. 1 team in the country for a reason and I thought we weathered the storm for the most part quite well. I saw a lot of good things from the weekend against two top teams."
 
The Owls were primed to hold the Tar Heels to a scoreless tie in the opening 45 minutes of half before Paige Nielsen put UNC up 1-0 with 24 seconds left in the half on a finish to the lower right side of the goal after receiving a cross from Megan Brigman and Vicky Bruce.
 
In the second half, North Carolina used back-to-back goals in the 60th and 62nd minutes to take control of the match. Summer Green tallied the second goal of the contest on a bullet to the top left corner of the goal after passes from the left to the right side of the field from Kelly McFarlane and Kealia Ohai freed Green for the shot.
 
Ohai added the third goal just two minutes later when she got around the KSU defense and slotted the ball into the right bottom corner of the goal.
 
While UNC controlled much of the possession, the Owls did earn chances of their own throughout the contest. One of the day's best opportunities came when redshirt-freshman Brittney Reed sent the ball into the UNC box for freshmen Suzanne Arafa and Maggie Gaughan. Tar Heel goalkeeper Anna Sieloff was just a half-step closer to the ball to scoop it up and out of harm's way.
 
The KSU backline, along with freshman goalkeeper Olivia Sturdivant, performed well in defending the potent Tar Heel offense, holding strong against the talented UNC forwards and midfielders, while staying compact throughout the match.
 
UNC totaled 20 shots in the game, but only put eight shots on frame. KSU tallied a pair of shots from sophomore Hannah Churchill and Arafa, with Churchill's shot coming on goal. Ohai and Joanna Boyles led the Tar Heels with four shots each.
 
Sturdivant notched five saves in another impressive outing, while UNC first-half goalkeeper Bryane Heaberlin recorded the lone save for the Tar Heels.
 
Kennesaw State next wraps a five-match road trip to start the season on Friday, September 6 as the Owls travel the short distance to Atlanta for a 7 p.m. (ET) match against rival Georgia State at the GSU Soccer Field.
 
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State soccer news follow the team on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsSoccer or by liking Kennesaw State University on Facebook.
 
 

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