CHAPEL HILL, N.C.- A last second clearance off of the goal-line secured a hard fought 3-2 win for the 1st-ranked North Carolina soccer team over the Big 12 Champion Texas A&M Aggies in front of 4,887 fans on Saturday at Fetzer Field.

A late second-half goal on a mis-cleared ball by an A&M player was scored by UNC midfielder Nikki Washington, and proved to be the difference in the game which saw end to end action and scoring chances.

Sophomore midfielder Laura Grace Robinson put the Aggies on the board first, in the game’s 30th minute. Robinson outran the Carolina defense on a delicately played through pass from A&M’s Amy Berend. Robinson then slipped her shot past Tar Heel keeper Anna Roenbough. The goal was Robinson’s fifth of the season and second in tournament play.

The Aggies nearly scored again in the 38th minute as junior forward Elisabeth Jones chased down a pass on the close right wing and crossed the ball back in front of the UNC goal to a streaking Kat Krambeer five yards from the goal, however Roenbough was perfectly positioned to make her second save of the match.

A&M held a 1-0 lead and a 4-1 shot advantage at the end of the first half. It is the first time in the storied history of UNC soccer that an opponent held the Tar Heels to a single shot in a half.

Forty-seven seconds into the second half, senior Jessica Maxwell served a long free kick into the A&M penalty area, which A&M had trouble clearing. Senior forward Heather O’Reilly pounced on the loose ball just outside the penalty box and scored the equalizer for the Tar Heels.

The game went back and forth for the next 10 minutes until Robinson was fouled just outside the UNC penalty area. Junior midfielder Allison Martino stepped up to take the free kick, which bent into the far upper corner of the goal, giving the Aggies a 2-1 lead.

The Tar Heels tied the game at two with 28:07 left in regulation as freshman forward, Whitney Engen took a pass from near 30-yards out dribbled down the left flank and slotted a give-and-go to fellow forward Elizabeth Guess who planted the ball just to the left of Arnold.

“This was a heck of a game,” stated A&M head coach G Guerrieri following the match. “I’m proud of the way our players played and congratulate UNC on a great win. The Heels played great, coming from behind twice to win a very entertaining game.

It’s tough to have your season end so close to the College Cup, but we leave knowing that we played well and were defeated by a great team and program, but we will move forward from this great season, knowing that the best is still ahead of us.”

With the loss, A&M finishes the season 17-6-1 while UNC improves to 25-1-0 to face UCLA in the semifinals of the 2006 Women’s College Cup.

NOTE: Ashlee Pistorius saw limited action for much of the end of the first and second halves after suffering a strike to the head. The 4,887 fans were the seventh largest crowd to watch a soccer match at Fetzer Field. In the 2006 season, the Aggies played 10 teams that advanced into the second round of NCAA Tournament, including three of four No. 1 seeds in tournament play.

~aTm~

UNC– 0 3 - 3

A&M – 1 1- 2

Records:

UNC (25-1-0)

A&M (17-6-1)

Goals:

1. 29:42 TAMU Robinson, Laura G. (5) (unassisted)

2. 45:47 NC Heather O'Reilly (10) (unassisted)

3. 54:28 TAMU Martino, Allison (1) (unassisted)

4. 61:53 NC Whitney Engen (12) Elizabeth Guess

5. 73:33 NC Nikki Washington (3) (unassisted)

Shots: UNC- 11, A&M –10

Fouls: UNC- 9, A&M –7

Corners: UNC-7, A&M -2

Saves: UNC- 2, A&M – 3