CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. –   Kealia Ohai scored a pair of breakaway goals, including the game-tying tally in the 73^rd minute, as sixth-ranked North Carolina battled to a 2-2 draw with fifth-ranked Virginia in women’s soccer action at Klockner Stadium Sunday afternoon.

 

Caroline Miller had both goals for the Cavaliers, scored just six minutes apart in the second half, as the two teams went to overtime for the seventh time in the last 11 meetings before a crowd of 1,603 fans.

 

UNC is now 4-2-2 overall on the season and 0-1-1 in the ACC.  Virginia emerges with an 8-1-1 overall record and a 1-0-1 mark in the ACC.  The tie with the Tar Heels ended an eight-match winning streak for UVA.

 

The Tar Heels opened the scoring just 56 seconds before the end of the first half as Ohai, who returned to the team last Monday after missing the first six games of the season while playing with the U.S. National Team which won the gold medal at the 2012 FIFA U20 World Cup, scored on a breakaway after taking a nifty through ball from freshman Reilly Parker.  It was Ohai’s first goal of the season and Parker’s first career point.

 

The lead was short-lived, however, as Virginia struck for a pair of goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half.  Both goals were delivered by Caroline Miller, her sixth and seventh goals of the season.  In the 49^th minute, Miller took a through ball from Erica Hollenberg, dribbled around UNC goalkeeper Bryane Heaberlin and scored the tying goal.  In the 55^th minute, Miller one-timed a through ball from Morgan Brian to give the Cavaliers a 2-1 lead.

 

UNC’s Meg Morris came close to tying the game but her shot from 30 yards out clanged off the cross bar in the 60^th minute.  Nearly 13 minutes later, however, Morris sent a through ball to Ohai, who broke through from the defense and scored the game-tying goal at 72:51.  The assist was the fourth of the season for Morris.

 

Ohai almost gave the Tar Heels the victory in regulation but she hit the crossbar in the 82^nd minute.  The Tar Heels got three more shots off in the game but none on target.  Heaberlin came up big in the late stages for Carolina, making saves on shots by Morgan Brian in the 87^th minute and by Caroline Miller in the opening minute of the second overtime.  Virginia outshot the Tar Heels 2-1 in overtime.

 

Carolina finished with a 16-11 edge in shots but both teams registered six shots on goals. UNC held an 8-2 edge in corner kicks.  UNC was whistled for 18 fouls and 12 offside violations.  Virginia was flagged for eight fouls.

 

Danielle DeLisle went the full 110 minutes in goal for UVA and made four saves.  Anna Sieloff started in goal for UNC and made one save in 45 minutes.  Heaberlin played the last 65 minutes and made three saves.

 

Carolina is now 35-1-3 all-time against Virginia.  Seven of the last 11 meetings have gone to overtime including regular-season meetings in each of the last three campaigns.  The two teams have split those three meetings 1-1-1.  Carolina is now 13-0-1 in games against the Cavaliers in Charlottesville.

 

The match was the conclusion of a six-match road swing for the Tar Heels who have played only one of their first eight matches at home.  Next up is a four-game homestand with matches against #7 Virginia Tech this coming Thursday at 7 p.m., against top-ranked Florida State on September 27 at 7 p.m., against Miami on September 30 at 1 p.m. and against Boston College on October 4 at 7 p.m.

 

The Hokies come to Chapel Hill as arguably the hottest team in the nation this season other than top-ranked Florida State.  Virginia Tech is 9-0 overall and 1-0 in the ACC and ranked seventh this week by Soccer America, a rating that is expected to improve on Tuesday.  The Hokies have allowed only one goal to be scored against them in their first nine matches.

 

Tickets for Thursday night’s game are on sale now at the Ticket Center on GoHeels.com.  For those fans who can’t attend on Thursday the game will be webcast on ESPN3 and WCHL Radio in Chapel Hill will also broadcast the game live.