North Carolina Women’s Soccer Team Heartbroken By Header

Notre Dame ended perennial champion North Carolina’s nine-year reign as women’s soccer national champions with a 1-0 victory Friday in the NCAA semifinals.

Notre Dame (20-2-2) avenged a 5-0 defeat by the Tar Heels in last year’s final without even scoring a goal. The lone score came when Tar Heels forward Cindy Parlow accidentally headed a ball into her own net in the first half.

North Carolina ended its season 25-1, trailing at the half for the first time in 60 games. The Tar Heels were riding a 35-game winning streak.

The Irish will meet Portland, a 4-2 winner over Southern Methodist.

In the Notre Dame game, with 25:39 remaining in the first half, Parlow, the Atlantic Coast Conference newcomer of the year, accidentally headed a ball into the right corner of her own goal.

Parlow was standing within the penalty area and trying to clear a header by Notre Dame midfielder Cindy Daws, but the ball skidded off the back of her head past stunned goalkeeper Tracy Noonan.