DURHAM, N.C.; Sept. 5, 2014 - An outstanding performance by Britt Eckerstrom (Germantown, Md.) wasn’t enough to give Penn State women’s soccer a win, as the Nittany Lions fell in double overtime, 1-0, to North Carolina on Friday.

The redshirt junior made a career-high 10 saves, keeping the game scoreless for over 102 minutes of play. Penn State helped Eckerstrom’s showing, however, posting 15 shots.

At the 35-minute mark, Frannie Crouse (Greensburg, Pa.) had a golden opportunity to put one on the board for the Lions. She broke away from a pair of North Carolina defenders and ripped a shot over the crossbar from the top of the 18-yard box.

Penn State’s offense continued to generate opportunities as the clock wound down. With 18 minutes left in the second half, Megan Schafer (Lebanon, Pa.) drove through a Tar Heel collapsing defense to get a shot off, but the ball sailed over the net.

At 81:56, Crouse had another chance to break the scoreless tie. In tight coverage about 12 yards in front of the farside post, the freshman sliced the ball towards the net but it flew high above Lindsey Harris’s goal.

Just four minutes later, North Carolina’s Hanna Gardner knocked down Mallory Weber (Novi, Mich.) and was issued the match’s first yellow card. On the free kick, however, Emily Hurd (Sammamish, Wash.) launched the ball into Harris’s chest.

Eckerstrom was a dominant presence throughout the game, and continued her stellar play in the first overtime period. With 3:40 left in the period, North Carolina’s Joanna Boyles sliced the ball to Eckerstrom but she tipped the ball over the net.

Under a minute to go, Emily Ogle danced through the Tar Heel defense but was unable to settle the ball and sliced it high for one of Penn State’s best opportunities of the first overtime period.

Just over 102 minutes into the match, however, North Carolina scored the lone goal of the match and the game-winner. Amber Munerlyn broke away from Penn State’s defense and, from the nearside post, sent the ball across and in to the net for the 1-0 win.

The Nittany Lions continue play at the Duke Nike Classic with a 2:30 match on Sun., Sept. 7 against Duke. Britt tonight and the defense

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