In the days leading up to the ACC Tournament, the Terrapin women’s soccer team was oozing with confidence and truly believed it could knock off North Carolina for the first time in program history on its way to competing for a conference title.

But right as the opening whistle blew yesterday night, those hopes disappeared and it was apparent the Tar Heels were in another class.

The crowd at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C., was littered with Carolina blue-clad fans and sparse of the Terps’ red and black. The Tar Heels were at ease and were in control of the game from the opening whistle, even pulling off a bicycle shot.

It wasn’t the Terps’ night. Perhaps it was never supposed to be.

The No. 5 Tar Heels (15-3-1) scored a goal in the 14th minute and never let up against an overmatched Terps team, winning 3-0. Fresh off a one goal loss to the Tar Heels on Sunday, the Terps felt they could compete with North Carolina, but only had one shot on offense.

“We are better than one shot,” coach Brian Pensky said. “We should have done more offensively, but I don’t think we leave here feeling dejected.”

Pensky tried everything he could to find some spark for his offense. He put in freshman forward Caitlin Mooney, who didn’t see a single minute in Sunday’s match, and moved Ashley Grove, who usually plays forward, to midfield. But the No. 16 Terps (12-5-2) were still lost on offense during their limited opportunities.

Meanwhile, the Tar Heels kept only three defenders back and continued to flush the Terps’ defense with streaking players from all over the field. North Carolina has never lost a first round game in the ACC Tournament and it was apparent the Tar Heels weren’t planning on it yesterday.

“To sum it up I don’t think tonight we played poorly. I think the effort was there but we didn’t execute the way we can and the way we have in the past,” defender Brittany Cummins said.

In the 14th minute, North Carolina forward Casey Nogueira found an opening to get a pass to midfielder Tobin Heath. Heath went one-on-one with Terp goalkeeper Mary Casey and slid the ball into the back of the net.

Despite just a one-goal deficit at the half, the Terps were outplayed on all fronts. That showed in the second half when the Tar Heels scored twice and solidified their win.

In the 55th minute, Tar Heels forward Jessica McDonald ripped off a shot that Casey was able to knock down. But the ball skipped around the penalty box and was deflected by Terps defender Mallory Baker into the Terps’ net for an own goal.

With less than 10 minutes remaining, North Carolina put their final touch on the win when defender Lucy Bronze headed in a score. McDonald and Heath were credited with assists.

For the Terps, who have dropped three straight, the deflating loss couldn’t have come at a worse time. When the NCAA announces its bracket on Monday night, the chances of the Terps getting home field advantage are slim.

“We’re disappointed and upset but we can’t sit here and beat ourselves up,” Pensky said. “It’s kind of funny North Carolina is the one seed every year in this tournament and the year they’re not, we get them.”

eckard@umdbk.com