DURHAM, N.C. –  Texas A&M scored three unanswered goals in a little over 20 minutes to hand top-ranked North Carolina its first loss of the season Sunday afternoon as the Aggies prevailed 4-3 in overtime at the Duke Nike Soccer Classic at Koskinen Stadium. Shea Groom scored the winning goal for the Aggies just 27 seconds into overtime on a breakaway capping a three-goal rally from a 3-1 deficit with less than 20 minutes left in regulation.

 

It was Texas A&M’s second win over the Tar Heels in the 15^th meeting between the two teams.  A&M opened the 2006 season by beating Carolina 1-0 in double overtime in College Station, Texas.

 

The Aggies improved to 4-4 on the season with the victory while the Tar Heels dropped their first match of the season, falling to 5-1.  It was the last non-conference game for Carolina, which opens its ACC season at home Friday night against NC State at 7 p.m. at Fetzer Field.

 

Carolina drew first blood, scoring in the sixth minute when defender Megan Brigman volleyed home a corner kick by Courtney Jones for her second goal of the season.  It would be the first of three goals off corner kicks by the Tar Heels.

 

The Aggies, who outshot the Tar Heels 20-13 on the day, kept pressure on the Carolina goal throughout the first half and capitalized in the 32^nd minute when Annie Kunz scored from close range in the box after receiving a cross from the right side by Bianca Brinson.

 

UNC retook the lead at the 42-minute mark when Crystal Dunn, who started on defense Sunday, scored her first goal of the season, again off a Tar Heel corner.  Midfielder Brooke Elby sent the corner in from the right side and Elizabeth Burchenal redirected it to Dunn who scored into the right side for a 2-1 halftime lead.

 

Carolina increased its lead to 3-1 just over three minutes into the second half as freshman defender Taylor Ramirez scored off another corner kick by Jones which glanced off directly off the right post.  Ramirez was there for the easy put away.

 

But A&M to its credit would not go away and for the remainder of regulation the Aggies attacked the UNC goal relentlessly.  The next two goals were set up by Merritt Mathias who played on NCAA championship teams at Carolina in 2008 & 2009 before transferring to TAMU prior to last season.  Mathias assisted on a goal by Nora Skelton at 70:13 to cut the lead to 3-2.  In the 78^th minute it was Meghan Streight who scored her first goal of the season off a corner kick by Mathias to tie the score and send the game to overtime.

 

It took less than 30 seconds in overtime for the decision to go A&M’s way.  Groom scored her fourth goal of the season on a breakaway.  She got a brilliant through pass from Kelley Monogue , got well behind the UNC defense and scored against UNC goalkeeper Anna Sieloff one-on-one in the box from the 15-yard mark.  Megan Majewski also assisted on the goal.

 

The game marked the first time in UNC history dating back to 1979 that the Tar Heels ever led a game by two goals and ending up losing.  It was also only the third time UNC has surrendered a two-goal lead in any match.  UNC led George Mason 3-0 in a match on September 3, 1985 that ended in a 3-3 tie.  On October 30, 2008, the Heels led Florida State 2-0 before settling for a 2-2 tie with the Seminoles.

 

In fact, it is only the ninth occasion in UNC history when Carolina led in a game and lost.  There have been nine other occasions when UNC led in a game and settled for ties.