North Carolina Rallies Past Milwaukee 4-1 Behind Thomas Double
Tar Heels overcome early deficit with dominant second-half display in Chapel Hill
CHAPEL HILL, NC – The 22nd-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels showcased their championship pedigree with a commanding 4-1 victory over Milwaukee on Saturday evening, overcoming an early setback to control proceedings at Fetzer Field.
What began as a tightly contested affair transformed into a masterclass in attacking soccer from the home side. Olivia Thomas broke the deadlock just six minutes in, converting expertly after Eden Bretzer's precise service found her in space. The forward curled home a right-footed effort into the bottom left corner, giving the Tar Heels an early advantage.
Milwaukee responded with remarkable composure, refusing to be intimidated by the hostile environment. Their persistence paid dividends in the 21st minute when Mallory McGuire hammered home the equalizer, capitalizing on Lola Wojcik's intelligent assist to silence the home crowd. The goal capped a period of sustained pressure from the visitors, who had grown into the match after weathering North Carolina's early storm.
The second half belonged entirely to the Tar Heels. Bella Devey restored their lead seven minutes after the restart, firing an unstoppable left-footed strike into the top corner without assistance – a moment of individual brilliance that shifted the momentum decisively.
North Carolina's attacking prowess reached its peak in the final quarter-hour. Thomas doubled her tally in the 77th minute, benefiting from Aven Alvarez's creative play to slot home her second goal of the evening. The forward's clinical finishing proved the difference, as she converted from close range with her weaker left foot.
Kate Faasse applied the finishing touches with four minutes remaining, rifling home Linda Ullmark's assist to complete the rout. The goal epitomized North Carolina's relentless approach, as they continued pressing for goals despite already holding a commanding advantage.
The statistics told the story of North Carolina's dominance. The Tar Heels outshot Milwaukee 24-12, registering 12 efforts on target compared to the visitors' five. Thomas led the charge with nine shots, six of which tested Bella Hollenbach in the Milwaukee goal.
Hollenbach emerged as Milwaukee's standout performer, producing a series of spectacular saves to prevent an even more lopsided scoreline. The goalkeeper denied North Carolina repeatedly, particularly during a frantic second-half period where the Tar Heels peppered her goal with sustained attacks.
North Carolina's tactical flexibility proved crucial, with head coach utilizing both goalkeepers as Abby Gundry started before giving way to Hannah Johann at halftime. The defensive unit, marshaled by Alvarez and Bella Gaetino, provided the platform for their attacking colleagues to flourish.
Milwaukee showed admirable fighting spirit throughout, with McGuire's equalizer demonstrating their ability to threaten ranked opposition. However, their limited attacking output – just three shots compared to North Carolina's 24 – highlighted the gulf in quality between the programs.
The victory showcased North Carolina's depth and attacking versatility, with contributions coming from across the field. Bretzer's early assist, Alvarez's defensive solidity combined with her attacking contribution, and Ullmark's late assist demonstrated the well-rounded nature of this Tar Heels squad.
For Milwaukee, the defeat provided valuable experience against elite competition, though they'll rue missed opportunities to build on McGuire's excellent equalizer.
Key Players
- Olivia Thomas (North Carolina) - Dominated with two clinical finishes and nine shots, six on target, terrorizing Milwaukee's defense throughout - Bella Hollenbach (Milwaukee) - Heroic goalkeeping display with multiple crucial saves prevented a much heavier defeat for the visitors - Aven Alvarez (North Carolina) - Excellent two-way performance, providing defensive stability while contributing the assist for Thomas's second goal