No. 2 Carolina women’s soccer sent SMU home with a 2-0 loss Thursday night in Chapel Hill, handling the Mustangs in the Tar Heels’ final home game of the regular season.
The Tar Heels wasted no time setting the tone. Lilliah Blum nearly opened the scoring in the seventh minute when her shot clipped the right corner of the post. Three minutes later, Hope Munson tried her luck from the left side of the goal, but her effort sailed just over the crossbar.
The breakthrough came in the 17th minute, when Summer Denigan finished off a feed from Aven Alvarez and tucked the ball into the left side of the net for her 10th goal of the season. That gave Carolina the 1-0 lead it carried into halftime.
UNC controlled the first half from start to finish, piling up 15 shots while holding more than 80 percent possession. The back line never let SMU settle in, keeping the Mustangs without a shot before the break.
Munson added insurance in the 60th minute, scoring from just outside the 18-yard box and driving the ball into the bottom left corner to make it 2-0. Carolina kept pressing from there.
Bella Gaetino came close to adding a third in the 75th minute, flicking a Blum pass across the SMU goal, but the Mustang goalkeeper got a foot to it. SMU’s keeper ended up facing 30 shots on the night.
Blum nearly joined the scoresheet again in the 83rd minute, but her fourth shot of the match struck the crossbar.
The win put Carolina at 9-1 on Dorrance Field at Play2Dream Legacy Stadium during the 2026 regular season, with the Tar Heels outscoring opponents 38-6 at home.
In Other News...
UNC Is Closing In On A Recruit Tar Heels Fans Will Obsess Over
A major recruiting decision is coming into focus for one of the top names in the 2027 class, and North Carolina appears to be right in the middle of it. DeMarcus Henry, the five-star forward ranked No. 2 in the SC Next 100, is set to announce his college choice Friday at 3 p.m. ET on ESPNs NBA Today, with the Tar Heels, Kentucky, Arkansas and Louisville still in the mix.
UNC helped itself with Henrys final official visit, which included a call from Michael Jordan, and the Tar Heels are now viewed as a leading candidate in the race. Recent reports and predictions have leaned toward Chapel Hill, adding even more intrigue to a recruitment that has already become one fans will be watching closely as the clock ticks toward his announcement. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Faces A Trap-Game Test Fans Can't Ignore
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For the Tar Heels, the bigger storyline is less about the outside noise and more about whether they can turn a difficult spot into a statement opportunity. Miami is being picked to escape with a narrow win, which leaves North Carolina with a chance to challenge that expectation and change the tone around its season, even if the projection still tilts toward the Hurricanes. The setup is simple enough, but these are exactly the sorts of games where the details matter and one timely swing can change how the rest of the week gets discussed. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Suddenly Has Major Recruiting Momentum Ahead Of Elite Prospect's Decision
North Carolinas recruiting pitch to Henry has picked up real force in a hurry. The No. 2 overall recruit and top small forward in the 2027 class recently made a visit to Chapel Hill, then cut his list down to four schools, with the Tar Heels still in the mix alongside Arkansas, Kentucky and Louisville.
The buzz around UNC only grew when Michael Jordan personally called Henry as part of the programs push. Now the spotlight shifts to Friday, when Henry is expected to reveal his decision on ESPNs NBA Today at 3 p.m. ET, setting up a high-profile finish to a recruitment that could reshape the Tar Heels future plans. [Read more 🡒]