#3 Carolina Blanks Notre Dame On Senior Night

Friday, October 27

Cary, N.C. (WakeMed Soccer Park)

7:00 PM

North Carolina

9-5-2,ACC 3-3-2

Notre Dame

14-2-1,ACC 6-1-1

Notre Dame

North Carolina

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

October 27, 2017 | Men's Soccer

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By: Mark Kimmel

CARY, North Carolina - A goal and an assist from Jelani Pieters helped guide No. 3 North Carolina to a 3-0 victory over 16th-ranked Notre Dame in the regular-season finale for both clubs Friday night from WakeMed Soccer Park.

North Carolina improved to 14-2-1 overall and 6-1-1 against the ACC, while Notre Dame is now winless in its last four games and falls to 9-5-2, 3-3-2.

UNC finished the regular season with 19 points to claim the Coastal Division title. The No. 2 seed Tar Heels will host the winner of No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 10 Pitt (8-9-0, 2-6-0) in the quarterfinals on Sunday, Nov. 5 in Cary at 1 p.m.

Carolina struck for the only goal of the first half in the 34th minute. Cam Lindley delivered a perfect ball off a corner that Pieters ran onto and snuck a header between the near post and the outstretched arm of Notre Dame keeper Chris Hubbard.

The goal was Pieters seventh of the season and Lindley's 11th assist equaled the total by Enzo Martinez in 2011, marking the most by a Tar Heel player since head coach Carlos Somoano took over the program seven seasons ago.

The game broke open with a pair of goals in a span of one minute, 46 seconds midway through the second half. A brilliant passing sequence between Lucas del Rosario and Pieters found an unmarked Jack Skahan and he made no mistake from the left side for his first collegiate goal in the 73rd minute.

Senior Alan Winn, making his first appearance in two weeks, came on as a reserve and scored his team-leading ninth goal of 2017 at the 74:00 minute mark.

Carolina keeper James Pyle saw his first action since the opening weekend of the season. His clean sheet continued a strong run for the Tar Heel defense who has now allowed only three goals in the last eight matches.

Before the match, Carolina celebrated Senior Night by honoring five players - Luke Ciocca, Evan Krause, David October, Winn and Zach Wright. The quintet have been key members of three ACC Coastal Division titles, three NCAA Championship appearances and a trip to the 2016 College Cup.