Pieters Headlines Six-Goal Output In Win Over Rutgers

Sunday, August 27

Cary, N.C. (WakeMed Soccer Park)

7:30:00 PM

North Carolina

Rutgers

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

August 27, 2017 | Men's Soccer

Box Score UNC Rutgers Box Score 2017 Season Stats

By: Mark Kimmel

CARY, North Carolina - Jelani Pieters scored twice and assisted on another goal in helping lead No. 4 North Carolina to a 6-1 victory over Rutgers on Sunday night from WakeMed Soccer Park.

Pieters was active early in the final third for the Tar Heels. A brilliant move by the Oswego, Illinois, native ended up with Pieters getting dragged down inside the box to draw a penalty.

From the spot, senior captain David October converted his second penalty in as many games to give Carolina an early lead in the eighth minute.

Carolina (2-0) waisted little time in adding to its goal total in the 10th minute. From a restart, Cam Lindley found Jeremy Kelly sprinting down the right side and he rang a shot off the cross bar and into the back of the net.

Rutgers (0-2) cut its deficit in half with an own goal in the 17th minute. With Tar Heel keeper James Pyle attempting to cut off the angle of a Rutgers player on the right side, a cross wound up deflecting off a Carolina defender and over the goal line.

Carolina got that goal back in the 30th minute to go ahead 3-1. Freshman Alex Rose, a local product in his backyard of Cary, opened his goal-scoring account when he banged in a deflection off an initial blast from classmate John Nelson.

Pieters scored his second goal of the opening weekend with a header in the 51st minute to make it 4-1 in favor of the Tar Heels. Wright started the play by juking a pair of Scarlet Knight defenders, then laid the ball off to Lindley, who played a perfect cross into a dangerous area that Pieters pounced on for the goal.

It wound up a brace for Pieters when he tapped home his second of the night in the 61st minute with Wright and Drew Murphy earning assists on the goal.

Andy Lopez put a cap on the scoring festivities with a goal in the 85th minute. His curling shot from the right side was true off an assist from Giovanni Montesdeoca.

Carolina visits UNCW on Friday at 7 p.m.