University of North Carolina Athletics
2000 Men's Soccer Season Review
April 19, 2001 | Men's Soccer
April 19, 2001
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
ACC Tournament Champion
NCAA Tournament Quarterfinalist
Final NSCAA Ranking: No. 5
(21-3, 5-1 ACC)
Tar Heels Post Perhaps Their Best Season Ever
In 2000, the University of North Carolina men's soccer team (21-3, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) shared the ACC regular-season championship, won the second ACC Tournament title in the program's history and reached the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals for the second time in school annals. Along the way, Carolina was ranked No. 1 in the nation for much of the season and won 15 games in a row, the longest winning streak in school history.
Carolina made its second NCAA Tournament appearance in a row, ninth overall and sixth under head coach Elmar Bolowich. The No. 1 seeding in the tournament is UNC's highest ever in men's soccer.
UNC won the ACC Tournament Nov. 10-12 with a 1-0 win over Wake Forest in the semifinals and a 1-0 overtime win over Virginia in the title game. The ACC championship is UNC's second ever and first since 1987.
2000 A Breakthrough Season for Tar Heels
After posting a record of 8-8-1 in 1996, UNC went 6-13 overall and 1-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1997 for the program's first losing season in 40 years. In 1998, a young Tar Heel team dominated by freshmen and sophomores went 11-6-2 and 3-3-0 in ACC to nearly earn an NCAA bid. In 1999, UNC went 12-7-1 and earned its first NCAA Tournament bid since 1994.
In 2000, the freshmen from the 1997 team lifted the Tar Heels to new heights. In more ways than one, the 2000 season was a breakthrough campaign for Elmar Bolowich and the Carolina men's soccer program:
* The Tar Heels finsihed the season with a record of 21-3 after going 5-1 in the ACC. The 21 wins are the most in school history in a single season.
* The five ACC wins are a new school record for ACC wins in a season (UNC won four ACC games in 1967 and 1977. The 5-1 ACC mark is Carolina's first winning record in conference play since 1980.
* The Tar Heels started the season 21-2, their best start ever (the previous best start was 13-2, set in 1980 and 1981).
* In the final regular-season national polls, Carolina was ranked No. 1 by Soccer America, the NSCAA, SoccerTimes.com, and CollegeSoccer.com. The No. 1 ranking is the first-ever for the UNC men and the Soccer America and NSCAA rankings are the highest in school history in those polls, eclipsing a No. 3 ranking in each poll on Sept. 22, 1987.
* The win at Clemson on Sept. 10 was Carolina's first regular-season win at Clemson since 1968 and UNC's third win in a row over the Tigers. The 2000 season also marks the first time in Carolina men's soccer history that the Tar Heels have beaten traditional ACC powers Clemson and Duke on the road in the same season. The win over Maryland on Oct. 7 was Carolina's third ACC road victory of the season, marking the first time since 1962 and only the second time ever that the Tar Heels have won three ACC road games in a season.
* Carolina's 15-game winning streak was its longest in school history. UNC won 11 in a row in 1977-78 (last eight games of the 1977 season and first three matches of 1978).
Tar Heels Set School Record with 21st Win
Carolina's 3-1 win over Rhode Island in the NCAA Men's College Cup second round was its 21st of the season, breaking the school record for wins in a season. UNC went 20-5 in 1987, reaching the only NCAA Final Four in school history.
Tar Heels Break School Single-Season Scoring Record
In the NCAA first-round win over William & Mary, Carolina set a new school record for most points in a season. UNC recorded its 219th point of the season against the Tribe, surpassing the previous record of 216 in 22 games in 1980. The Tar Heels finished the year with 228 points (73 goals and 82 assists).
On Nov. 26 versus Rhode Island, Carolina broke the school record for goals in a season when it recorded its 73rd goal of the season, surpassing the previous record of 72 set in 21 matches in 1983. UNC scored 73 goals in 2000.
The Tar Heels' 82 assists tied the school record of 82 set in 22 matches in 1980.
Three Second-Half Goals Propel Tar Heels Past Rhode Island and into NCAA Quarterfinals
Carolina scored three goals in a 13-minute span of the second half and defeated Rhode Island, 3-1, on Nov. 26 at Fetzer Field. Chris Carrieri, Caleb Norkus and Ryan Kneipper all scored for the Tar Heels, who won their 15th game in a row.
The victory was Carolina's 21st of the season, breaking the school record for wins in a season. Carolina went 20-5 in 1987 and reached the NCAA Final Four.
After a scoreless first half, Carrieri scored Carolina's first goal at the 53:30 mark when his cross deflected off URI defender Neil Lewis and ricocheted into the net. Just over two minutes later, at the 55:49 mark, Caleb Norkus scored the eventual game-winner, taking passes from Logan Pause and Noz Yamauchi and scoring on a nifty combination of passes in the box.
The Rams cut the UNC lead to 2-1 at 65:08 when Nicholas McCreath took advantage of a defensive breakdown by the Tar Heels and scored. Less than two minutes later, Carolina responded with a goal by Kneipper off an assist from Sean McGinty at 66:58.
Michael Ueltschey played very well in the goal for UNC, recording six saves.
Laycock's Two Goals Lead Comeback Win over William & Mary in NCAA First Round
North Carolina, the top seed in the 2000 Men's College Cup, stared first-round elimination in the face on Nov. 19 at Fetzer Field but a pair of goals by reserve Matt Laycock in the final 26 minutes of regulation and an overtime goal by reserve Ryan Kneipper in the 95th minute gave the Tar Heels a 3-2, come-from-behind victory over William & Mary. A driving snowstorm throughout the game blanketed the field and made conditions less than ideal.
The victory was UNC's 20th of the season, equalling the school record for wins in a season. The Tar Heels went 20-5 in 1987 and reached the NCAA Final Four. The win was Carolina's school-record 14th in a row.
After a scoreless first half, the Tribe took a 2-0 lead with two quick goals in a four-minute span. At 59:10, Carlos Garcia out-battled UNC goalkeeper Michael Ueltschey for a loose ball in front the of the net and scored for a 1-0 William & Mary lead. Less than four minutes later, Phillip Hucles took a Kevin Knott assist on a free kick and scored for a 2-0 lead.
Laycock's first goal came on a set piece off a pass by UNC captain Danny Jackson. Laycock, UNC's junior co-captain who has been limited all season by chronic hamstring and knee soreness, tied the game with his second header just minutes later off assists by Matt Crawford and Chris Carrieri.
Carrieri, the ACC Player of the Year, then assisted on the game-winner in overtime as his cross from the right side found the head of Kneipper, who beat William & Mary goalkeeper Trevor Upton to the near post.
Tar Heels Earn Top Seed in NCAA Tournament
For the second consecutive year and ninth time in school history, the University of North Carolina men's soccer team has earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels won the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament on Nov. 12 with a 1-0 overtime win over Virginia and earned one of 12 automatic bids to the 32-team 2000 NCAA Men's College Cup tournament field. UNC is the No. 1 overall seed the first time in its history.
Carolina was one of four ACC teams to earn bids, joining No. 2 seed Clemson, No. 5 seed Virginia and Duke. Five other Tar Heel opponents from the 2000 season also received bids - William & Mary, Kentucky, Dartmouth, No. 7 seed South Carolina and UAB. The 2000 Men's College Cup will be played in Charlotte's Ericsson Stadium on December 8 and 10.
"Being the number one seed is fantastic," Tar Heel head coach Elmar Bolowich said Monday. "It's a great achievement for our program. We had a terrific season, capping it off with the ACC championship, so we felt we were in the pole position [for the No. 1 seed]. We're happy to have the top seed and we hope to play at home all the way through until the Final Four in North Carolina."
olowich now has led Carolina to six NCAA Tournament appearances - in 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1999 and 2000. The 2000 season marks the first time Carolina had hosted an NCAA Tournament game since 1994.
Norkus' Overtime Goal Overtime Leads to ACC Championship
Caleb Norkus scored the game-winning goal just 13 seconds into the overtime frame as the Tar Heels defeated Virginia 1-0 in the finals of the ACC Championship game at Spry Stadium on the campus of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Nov. 12. The title was the first for Carolina since 1987.
The Tar Heels and Cavaliers played 90 minutes with no decision in a balanced game. Through regulation, UNC held a 16-15 edge in shots and a 5-4 lead in corner kicks. During the game, both teams had several chances to take the lead but David Comfort and Michael Ueltschy, the respective goalkeepers for Virginia and North Carolina, kept their opponents at bay.
In the semifinals, the top-seeded Tar Heels defeated the Wake Forest Demon Deacons 1-0 in an performance that saw the Tar Heels outshoot the Deacons 28-5. The only goal of the night was scored by the Tar Heels' Noz Yamauchi at the 67:03 mark of the second half. Yamauchi took advantage of an uncleared ball in the Deacon penalty box to put the ball in the net. Yamauchi's third goal of the season was assisted by Bucy and Norkus.
Norkus was named the tournament's most valuable player. He was joined on the All-ACC Tournament Team by teammates Bucy, Michael Ueltschey, Chris Carrieri and David Stokes.
Bucy Named First-Team Academic All-America -- Again
Michael Bucy was named a first-team academic All-America for the second consecutive season. Bucy, a senior, was named to the 2000-01 Verizon Academic All-America University Division Men's Fall-Winter At-Large First Team on April 17.
A native of Raleigh, N.C., Bucy boasts a 3.95 grade point average with a major in economics and a minor in business. One of the nation's top scholar-athletes, Bucy attends Carolina on a prestigious Morehead academic scholarship. He was named a first-team GTE Academic All-America as a junior after earning third-team honors as a sophomore.
Earlier this spring, Bucy was named Academic All-District for the third consecutive year. In February, he received a Weaver-James-Corrigan Postgraduate Scholarship from the Atlantic Coast Conference. The scholarships are awarded to selected senior student-athletes in the ACC who have intentions of continuing academic work as full-time graduate students. Bucy will receive $5,000 to use toward his graduate education.
On the field last fall, Bucy led the ACC and was sixth in the nation with 0.63 assists per game and a career-high 15 assists. The 15 assists tied the school record set by Victor Suarez in 1994. Bucy was named Second-Team All-ACC and was third on the Carolina team with a career-high 33 points. He was named to the All-ACC Tournament team after assisting on both of UNC's goals in the ACC Tournament, including Caleb Norkus' overtime game-winnner in the title game versus Virginia.
On Oct. 28 versus Wake Forest in the final regular-season home game of his career, Bucy recorded his first career hat trick and tied his career high with six points in the 4-1 win over the Demon Deacons. He was named ACC Player of the Week on Oct. 30 for his efforts.
ucy is very involved with public service on campus, having organized the UNC Children's Dance Marathon in both 1999 and 2000. He received the Tatum Award in April 2000 for athletic performance and University and community service. He also was awarded the ACC Top Six for Service Award given for community service.
Carrieri Named ACC Player of the Year
Chris Carrieri (25 goals, 14 assists, 64 points) became Carolina's first-ever ACC Player of the Year on Nov. 8 when he accepted the award in a vote of the conference's coaches.
Carrieri shattered the North Carolina school record for goals and points in a season. Derek Missimo set the previous records with 20 goals and 44 points in 1989.
In 2000, Carrieri set a UNC record by scoring at least one goal in 11 consecutive games and at least one point in 16 consecutive games. He scored goals in 18 of UNC's 24 games this season, including multiple goals in six games, and tied for the UNC lead with six game-winning goals. Carrieri was named the ACC Player of the Week three times in 2000, more than any other player, and was named to Soccer America's Team of the Week four times.
A third-team NSCAA/adidas All-America in 1999, Carrieri ranks second in school history in career goals and third in career points. Carrieri, a native of Stafford, Va., has 50 goals in just 63 career games. Derek Missimo is the all-time leader with 56. Carrieri also has 122 career points, third-best in school history. Temoc Suarez is second with 126 points and Missimo is first with 138.
Bolowich Named ACC Coach of the Year
In 2000 Elmar Bolowich was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Coach-of-the-Year for the first time, the conference announced at its annual banquet on Nov. 8. Bolowich becomes Carolina's third ACC Coach-of-the-Year honoree, joining Marvin Allen (1975) and Anson Dorrance (1977).
olowich led Carolina to a 21-3 record this year, the most wins in a season in school history. He won his 141st career game against William & Mary on Nov. 19. The Tar Heels' 5-1 ACC record reflected the most ACC wins in a season in school history.
Five Tar Heels Named All-ACC
Chris Carrieri and Danny Jackson head a list of five Tar Heels named to the All-ACC teams in a vote of the conference's seven head coaches. Carrieri and Jackson each were named First-Team All-ACC. Carrieri earned the honor for the second year in a row and was named to the second team as a freshman in 1998. Jackson was named Second-Team All-ACC in 1999. UNC seniors Michael Bucy, Caleb Norkus and Eddie Robinson all were named Second-Team All-ACC, earning their first all-conference honors.
Carrieri Led the Nation in Scoring, Bucy, Norkus and Ueltschey Also Among NCAA Leaders
Chris Carrieri, the 2000 ACC Player of the Year, led the nation in scoring in the final statistics released by the NCAA. Carrieri had 64 points in 24 games and led the NCAA with 2.67 points per game. He also was second in the nation with 1.04 goals per game and 12th nationally with 0.58 assists per game.
Michael Bucy was sixth in the nation with 0.63 assists per game, Caleb Norkus was 20th with 0.54 assists per game and goalkeeper Michael Ueltschey ranked 10th in goals-against average at 0.77.
Tar Heels Fourth in the Nation in Team Scoring
As a team, the Tar Heels were fourth in the country in scoring offense with 3.04 goals per game, sixth with 0.75 goals allowed per contest and 13th with a shutout percentage of .458. Carolina had the second-best winning percentage in the country at .875 and the 13th-highest home attendance average at 1,128 fans per game.
Carrieri's Scoring Streaks Snapped at the ACC Tournament
Chris Carrieri set a new school record when he scored at least one goal in 11 consecutive games this season, a streak snapped on Nov. 10 against Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament semifinals. Todd Haskins set the previous record by scoring a goal in eight straight games in 1993. In that 11-game span, Carrieri had 17 goals and UNC won all 11 games.
Carrieri also set the school record for consecutive games scoring a point at 16 games, a streak also snapped on Nov. 11 versus Wake Forest. The previous record was nine games, set by Jay Ainslie in 1983. He scored at least one point in 20 of 24 games this season, with at least three points in 11 of those contests.
Norkus Named ACC Tournament MVP
Caleb Norkus scored the game-winning goal in the ACC Tournament championship game versus Virginia on Nov. 13, taking a header from Michael Bucy and scoring just 13 second into overtime. He was named ACC Tournament MVP for his efforts. He also was named Second-Team All-ACC on Nov. 8 in a vote of the conference's head coaches.
Norkus had 15 goals on the season. He scored the game-winner in four of UNC's five games from Oct. 4 to Oct. 18. He established career highs in 2000 with 15 goals, 13 assists and 43 points. Among the ACC leaders this season, he ranked second in points, tied for fourth in goals and tied for third in assists. He also was 20th in the nation with 0.54 assists per game.
Earlier in the season, he scored goals in nine straight games. He scored 13 goals in those nine games.
Norkus ranks fourth in school history with 40 career goals and 101 career points.
Bucy Third in the Nation and Fifth in UNC History in Assists
Senior midfielder Michael Bucy led the ACC and was sixth in the nation with 0.63 assists per game and a career-high 15 assists in 2000. The 15 assists tied the school record set by Victor Suarez in 1994. Bucy was named Second-Team All-ACC on Nov. 8 and All-ACC Tournament after assisting on both of UNC's goals in the ACC Tournament, including Caleb Norkus' overtime game-winnner in the title game versus Virginia.
ucy, a first-team GTE Academic All-America in 1999 and 2000 and a third-team honoree in 1998, was third among Tar Heels in 2000 with a career-high 33 points. On Oct. 28 versus Wake Forest in the final regular-season home game of his career, Bucy recorded his first career hat trick and tied his career high with six points in the 4-1 win over the Demon Deacons. He was named ACC Player of the Week on Oct. 30 for his efforts.
ucy tied for the ACC lead with 10 assists in `99. His 30 career assists rank fifth in school history.
Tar Heels Boast ACC's Top Offense and Defense
North Carolina led the ACC in scoring offense and defense in 2000. UNC scored 3.04 goals per game and allowed 0.75.
The Tar Heels outscored their opponents by a 73-18 margin on the season. That is a new school record for goals in a season (the previous record was 72 in 1983).
UNC also boasts three of the top four assist leaders in the ACC this season in Michael Bucy, Chris Carrieri and Caleb Norkus. As a team, UNC had 82 assists. That tied the school record, set in 1980 (22 matches). Carolina's 228 points on the season are a new school record. UNC tallied 216 points in 1980.
The Tar Heels led the ACC with 11 shutouts and allowed one goal or less in 20 of 24 games this season, including 13 of the season's last 14 games. Goalkeeper Michael Ueltschey led the ACC and was 10th in the nation with a 0.77 goals against average. Ueltschey also led the ACC with a save percentage of 0.8087 The Tar Heel starting defensive unit of Danny Jackson, Chris Leitch, Eddie Robinson and David Stokes played so well throughout the season that Ueltschey has recorded just 3.05 saves per game, ranking sixth in the ACC. .
Carrieri Named ACC Player of the Week Three Times
North Carolina forward Chris Carrieri was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Soccer Player of the Week after leading the Tar Heels to a 2-0 record in the week of Oct. 9-15, the conference announced on Oct. 16. Carrieri, a junior from Stafford, Virginia, had five goals and three assists in wins over Dartmouth and Rider. Against Rider, he scored his first career hat trick.
Carrieri also was named the ACC Player of the Week on Oct. 9 after scoring three goals and tallying two assists for a total of eight points as Carolina defeated William & Mary, 2-0, and Maryland, 5-1.
He was the co-ACC Player of the Week on Sept. 11 after scoring the game-winner in UNC's win at Clemson on Sept. 10. It was Carolina's first regular-season win at Clemson since 1968.
Among the ACC Leaders
The following Tar Heels were among the leaders in the final ACC men's soccer release:
Chris Carrieri -- 1st in points (64), 1st in goals (25), 2nd in assists (14), 1st in scoring (2.67 ppg), 1st in goals per game (1.04), 4th in assists per game (0.58)
Caleb Norkus -- 2nd in points (43), tied 4th in goals (15), tied 3rd in assists (13), 4th in scoring (1.79 ppg), 8th in goals per game (0.63), 6th in assists per game (0.54)
Michael Bucy -- tied 8th in points (33), 1st in assists (15), 2nd in assists per game (0.63)
Michael Ueltschey -- 1st in goals against average (0.77), 1st in save percentage (0.807), 6th in saves (3.05 per game)
As a team, Carolina was 1st in the ACC in scoring offense (3.04 goals per game), 1st in scoring defense (0.75 goals allowed per game) and 1st in shutouts (11).
Regular-Season Game Recaps
UNC Wins at South Carolina for 11th in a Row, Ties Longest Winning Streak in School History
Carolina posted its ACC-leading ninth shutout of the season and defeated No. 10 South Carolina, 2-0, on Nov. 5 at Eugene E. Stone Stadium for its first against USC since 1993. The Tar Heels won their 11th consecutive game, tying the longest winning streak in the history of the UNC program set originally in 1977-78.
Tthe Tar Heels outshot the Gamecocks 7-6 in a scoreless first half, and UNC ended the match outshooting USC by a 13-11 count. The Tar Heels came out strong in the second half and eventually broke the scoreless tie at the 66:04 mark. Logan Pause slipped the ball past USC goalkeeper Henry Ring for his fourth goal of the season.
The one-goal lead stood until Chris Carrieri scored his 24th goal of the season in the 90th minute. Carrieri took the deep pass from Michael Bucy and hit the back right corner of the net with his 13-yard shot.
Heels Clinch Best ACC Record Ever with 4-1 Win Over No. 18 Wake Forest
Michael Bucy scored three goals for his first career hat trick as Carolina defeated No. 18 Wake Forest, 4-1, on Oct. 28 at Fetzer Field. In the final regular-season home match of his career, Bucy, a senior from Raleigh, tied his career high with six points.
Meanwhile, ACC Player-of-the-Year candidate Chris Carrieri scored his ACC-leading 23rd goal of the season. Carrieri extended his goal-scoring streak to 10 matches in a row and at least one point in 15 straight contests. Both marks are school records.
The victory gave Elmar Bolowich the winningest season in his 12-year career as Carolina's head coach. His previous high win total was 15, set in 1991.
ucy scored the first goal of the game at the 39:45 mark, chesting a long cross from Matt Crawford into the net past Wake goalkeeper Rob Vartughian. Bucy scored again with just 0:01 left before halftime, knocking a loose ball into the goal at point-blank range after a free kick with under 0:10 before intermission. Caleb Norkus and Grant Porter assisted on Bucy's second goal.
ucy scored again at 77:17 for a 3-0 UNC lead, heading in a long pass from Danny Jackson on a free kick. Carrieri scored at 83:26, taking the ball behind the midfield line and outracing the Wake Forest defense for an unassisted, fast break goal.
Carrieri Breaks UNC Single-Season Goal Record as UNC Shuts Out Elon, 5-0
Chris Carrieri scored twice to break the school record for goals in a season as UNC defeated Elon, 5-0, on Oct. 25, for Carolina's eighth shutout of the season. Carolina scored four second-half goals to break open what was a close, 1-0 game at halftime. Carrieri scored his 21st and 22nd goals of the season, breaking Derek Missimo's previous mark of 20, set in 1989. It was Carrieri's sixth multi-goal game this season and his fifth in the last six games. He and Caleb Norkus each scored a goal for the ninth straight game, setting a new school record.
With the win, Carolina improved to 15-2, equalling its highest win total ever under head coach Elmar Bolowich. UNC went 15-6-1 in 1991 under Bolowich.
Heels Trounce NC State, 7-1, for Best Start in School History
Five different Tar Heels scored as UNC defeated NC State, 7-1, on Oct. 22 at Fetzer Field. The seven goals are the most Carolina has scored in an ACC game since 1962, when it defeated NC State 9-1.
With the win, Carolina improved to 14-2 this season, setting a record for the best start in school history The previous best start was 13-2, set in 1980 and 1981. UNC also improved to 4-1 in the ACC, equalling the school record for most ACC wins in a season, set in 1967 and 1977. ACC Player-of-the-Year candidate Chris Carrieri and senior Caleb Norkus each had two goals and one assist in the game for the Tar Heels, while senior Michael Bucy had a goal and three assists. Carrieri and Norkus each scored at least one goal for the eighth consecutive game, tying a school record set by Todd Haskins in 1993.
Carrieri Tallies One Goal, Two Assists as UNC Tops Charlotte, 3-0
Chris Carrieri tallied a goal and two assists as the University of North Carolina men's soccer team defeated Charlotte, 3-0, on Oct. 18 at Fetzer Field. With the win, Carolina (13-2) equalled the best start in school history. UNC also began the 1980 and 1981 seasons 13-2.
On the night, Carrieri broke the UNC school record for points in a season. He now has 47 points in 2000, surpassing Derek Missimo's 11-year old school record of 44 points set in 1989. Carrieri leads the Atlantic Coast Conference with 18 goals, 11 assists and 47 points this season. All are career highs for the junior forward from Stafford, Va.
Caleb Norkus scored the first goal of the game for Carolina, taking assists from Carrieri and freshman David Stokes on a fast break and scoring at the 27:26 mark. Carrieri scored UNC's second goal on a penalty kick at the 35:11 mark. He also provided the assist on the final goal of the night, perfectly placing a corner kick so that Eddie Robinson could head it into the lower left corner of the net at the 72:49 mark.
Michael Ueltschey went the distance in the goal for the Tar Heels and earned the shutout, recording two saves. He now has 5.4 shutouts this season.
Tar Heels Down Dartmouth, Rider to Win adidas/Spartan Classic
Chris Carrieri scored a pair of first-half goals to lift No. 5-ranked North Carolina to a 3-1 win over Dartmouth in the first round of the adidas/Spartan Classic in Greensboro, N.C., on Oct. 13. On Oct. 15, Caleb Norkus scored a career single-game high four goals to pace the Tar Heels to a 11-0 win over Rider.
Norkus netted goals in the sixth, 37th, 55th and 61st minutes, and his performance overshadowed the first career hat trick for Carrieri, who had three goals. Norkus, who had one assist, and Carrieri were each one point off the Tar Heels' single-game point total set by James Reston against NC State in 1962.
The Tar Heels' Norkus, Carrieri, Bucy and Daniel Jackson were named to the All-Tournament team. UNC scored the most goals of any squad visiting UNCG Soccer Stadium in 221 games over 10 seasons and tallied its most in a single game since a 12-0 home win over Barton in 1987.
Carolina Scores Five Straight Goals to Top Terps, 5-1
Chris Carrieri scored two goals and added an assist to give the Tar Heels a 5-1 win on Oct. 7 at Maryland. Carolina improved to 10-2 (3-1 ACC) with the win, while the host Terrapins fell to 5-6 (1-3 ACC).
Terrapin freshman Philip Salyer scored his fourth goal in four games just over seven minutes into the action, but it would prove to be the only goal for Maryland all night. The Maryland goal, a diving header from six yards out, was assisted by Terrapin leading scorer Abe Thompson. Carolina evened things up at 24:50 when Logan Pause netted his third goal of the year on a long cross off a scramble in front of the Terrapin goal.
The Tar Heels took the lead when Matt Laycock took a Carrieri corner kick and deposited it in the right side of the net from seven yards out. Carolina took the 2-1 lead into halftime, and momentum never swung the Terps' way again. Caleb Norkus put the Heels up by two goals less than three minutes into the second half, setting up Carrieri for the final two-goal punch to make the final score a 5-1 Tar Heel victory.
The win was Carolina's third ACC road victory of the season, marking the first time since 1962 and only the second time ever that the Tar Heels have won three ACC road games in a season.
Carolina Shuts Out William & Mary, 2-0
No. 8 North Carolina scored twice in the first four minutes of the second half and cruised the rest of the way to a 2-0 victory over William & Mary on Wednesday night in collegiate men's soccer action from Fetzer Field. Chris Carrieri had a goal and an assist for the Tar Heels, while Michael Bucy had two assists and Caleb Norkus scored the game-winning goal. UNC assistant coach Oliver Weiss was an assistant under Al Albert at William & Mary for three seasons before coming to Carolina prior to the 1999 season.
After a scoreless first half, the Tar Heels struck quickly in the second period. Norkus scored the game-winner on a beautiful combination of passes from Carrieri and Bucy. Bucy crossed the ball from the right of the net to Carrieri, who one-touched a pass to Norkus for a short blast and 1-0 lead at the 46:20 mark. Less than three minutes later, Carrieri scored his team-leading 10th goal of the season, taking a pass from Bucy in the box and scoring for the 2-0 margin. Michael Ueltschey started in goal for UNC and earned the shutout victory, recording three saves. The Tar Heel defense limited the Tribe to seven shots in the game Billy Platz recorded four saves for the Tribe in goal.
Carolina Comes From Behind to Win at No. 5 Duke, 4-2
No. 17 North Carolina recorded one of its biggest victories in several years on Oct. 1, upsetting No. 5 Duke, 4-2, before 4,759 fans at Koskinen Stadium at Duke University.
It was a breakthrough game for Coach Elmar Bolowich's Tar Heels. The game marked the first time since 1997 that the Tar Heels had scored against the Blue Devils and it was the first win for Carolina over the arch-rival since 1996 when the Heels beat Duke 3-2, also at Koskinen Stadium in Durham. The Blue Devils had won the past four meetings, including a 4-0 win in the ACC Tournament semifinals last year. The win also marked the first time in Carolina men's soccer history that the Tar Heels have beaten traditional ACC powers Clemson and Duke on the road in the same season.
Four second-half goals propelled the Tar Heels to the comeback victory with four different UNC players finding the back of the Duke net.
Duke, which lost its second match in a row, got on the scoreboard first at the 22:04 mark when freshman Jordan Cila scored after a scramble in front of the Carolina net. Cila tapped the ball in on the right side just a couple of feet off the goal line. Donald McIntosh and Trevor Perea assisted on the goal.
The half ended with Duke ahead 1-0 but the Tar Heels came out on fire in the second half and scored on four of their 10 second half shots. Senior Eddie Robinson pulled the Heels even just 3:57 into the second period as he took a pass from junior striker Chris Carrieri and rocketed a low line drive into the left corner from about 25 yards away. The game remained tied for almost 20 minutes before Carrieri put the Tar Heels ahead at 68:11. Carrieri's initial offering was rejected by the Duke defense but he pounced on the rebound and stuck it in from six yards out on the left, thus tallying his ninth goal of the season.
Freshman defender David Stokes extended the Tar Heels' lead to 3-1 at 76:15 with his first career goal, a hard strike from 22 yards out on the left side. The Devils would not die as senior Robert Russell pushed a shot from just outside the penalty area into the lower right corner at 83:13, assisted by Scott Noble and Perea.
ut the Heels put the win away with 1:01 to play as senior Caleb Norkus took a pass from Mike Gell and beat his defender to score into the left side past Duke goalkeeper Jeff Haywood.
Carolina Shuts Down Old Dominion, 4-0
Four North Carolina players scored as the No. 12 Tar Heels won at Old Dominion, 4-0, on Wednesday night in collegiate men's soccer action. Michael Bucy, Caleb Norkus, Chris Carrieri and Sean McGinty all scored for UNC. Bucy added two assists, while Carrieri had one assist. The Monarchs are led by Head Coach Alan Dawson, a former Carolina assistant coach under Elmar Bolowich. With the win, Carolina improves to 7-2 on the season. ODU falls to 2-4-1.
ucy started the scoring for Carolina with a goal just 3:29 into the match off an assist from Chris Leitch. Norkus scored the second goal of the game 10 minutes later at 13:02, taking a pass from Bucy and scoring for a 2-0 UNC lead. Bucy had the assist on the third goal of the contest as well, passing to Carrieri for his team-leading eighth goal of the season at the 35:45 mark. Carolina took a 3-0 lead into halftime. McGinty closed out Carolina's scoring with a goal off a pass from Carrieri at 65:30.
Michael Ueltschey and Brad Thomas split time in the goal, with Ueltschey getting the start and going the first 70 minutes and recording three saves. Thomas came in relief for the final 20 minutes of action, recording two saves.
No. 8 Cavaliers Rally to Top No. 10 Tar Heels, 3-1
The No. 8 Virginia men's soccer team scored three second-half goals to come from behind and defeat No. 10 North Carolina, 3-1, on Sept. 24 in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels took a 1-0 lead in the first half when freshman Logan Pause took a pass from Chris Carrieri and beat Virginia goalkeeper Kyle Singer one-on-one for the goal. That goal was the extent of the offense in the first half, as each team could muster only four shots in the opening 45 minutes.
The Cavaliers scored twice in a span of 1:46 in the second half to take command of the game. At the 62:49 mark, Ryan Gibbs took a pass from Steve Totten and one-timed it into the goal from point-blank range to tie the score at 1-1. Less than two minutes later, Virignia's leading scorer on the season, Alecko Eskandarian took a pass from Ryan Trout and scored on a shot from 20 yards out to the left of the goal.
The Wahoos held the UNC offense in check the rest of the way as Carolina tried to battle back and tie the score. Sheldon Barnes added Virginia's final goal of the game at 88:51 on an unassisted, breakaway goal that iced the win.
Tar Heels Pick Up a Pair of Wins at Nike Carolina Classic
The Tar Heels defeated Denver and Kentucky in the Nike Carolina Classic on Sept. 15-16.
Against Denver 1-0, Chris Carrieri scored the game's only goal off assists from Logan Pause and Naz Yamauchi at the 11:53 mark. After receiving a pass from Yamauchi, Pause lofted a perfect pass to Carrieri in the box who hit a header past Denver goalie Parker Jarvis. Carrieri's goal proved to be the game winner for UNC as neither team was able to score over the last 78:07 of the match.
Against Kentucky, Carolina dominated the play, outshooting the Wildcats 15-7. But the Tar Heels did not break through until the 60th minute when junior midfielder Noz Yamauchi finished off a nifty counter attack to give the Tar Heels the lead. He was assisted on the play by freshman striker Sean McGinty and junior defender Danny Jackson. A little over 15 minutes later, the Tar Heels extended their lead when junior forward Chris Carrieri scored his second game-winning goal in two nights, taking passes from McGinty and freshman midfielder Logan Pause to finish off a breakaway.
Less than two minutes after Carrieri scored, the Wildcats' Kevin Strobo received a red card for a hard tackle on Jackson and the Tar Heels seemed in the driver's seat with less than 14 minutes to play. But the Wildcats scored with 44 seconds remaining when Graham sent a ball from nearly midfield after a Carolina foul that flicked off the head of Giovanni Fernandes in the box for a UK goal. With 16 seconds left, UNC's Michael Bucy received a yellow card for a tackle just outside the Tar Heel box. On the restart, there was a flurry which resulted in a shot by Chris McDaniel from the six. The chance was saved on the line by Bucy with six seconds remaining and the Tar Heels cleared the ball out to preserve the win.
Tar Heels Shutout Davidson, 4-0
Carolina got goals from four different players and shutout Davidson, 4-0, on Sept. 12 at Fetzer Field. Chris Carrieri, Grant Porter, Ryan Kneipper and Michael Bucy all scored for UNC.
The Tar Heels suffered no letdown after their come-from-behind win at No. 4 Clemson on Sunday, taking control from the beginning of the game. Carrieri scored on Carolina's first shot on goal, taking a pass from Caleb Norkus and lofting it over the head of Davidson goalkeeper Soren Johnson for a 1-0 lead at the 13:51 mark.
Porter scored the first goal of his collegiate career at the 30:40 mark, angling a beautiful shot from outside the goalie's box at its top left corner into the top right corner of the net. Carrieri assisted on Porter's goal. Twelve minutes later, Kneipper gave UNC a 3-0 lead when he gathered a loose ball in front of the net after a shot by C.J. Steffen and a pass from Sean McGinty and scored. Carolina held its 3-0 lead until the 74:36 mark, when Bucy scored on a penalty kick after Porter was taken down inside the Davidson box.
Tar Heels Win at No. 4 Clemson for First Time Since 1968
Carolina outshot No. 4-ranked Clemson, 22-9 to pull out a 2-1 victory on Sept. 10 at Riggs Field in the Atlantic Coast Conference season-opener for both schools. Chris Carrieri scored the game-winner for the Tar Heels with under five minutes left in the second half. It was only Carolina's second regular-season win ever at Clemson and the first since 1968.
Clemson's lone goal was the first goal scored of the match at the 57:20 mark. After a scoreless first half, the Tigers managed to get on the scoreboard when senior Ross Goodacre sent a 30-yard rocket into the net on a restart of a Tar Heel foul.
However, Carolina would answer with a flurry of shots 14 minutes later to even the score. Tar Heel midfielder Logan Pause sent the last of the shots into the goalpost before the ball skimmed off Clemson defender Andy Heck and sailed into the net for an own goal.
UNC scored the gamewinner at the 85:03 mark when Carrieri beat Clemson goalie Doug Warren. David Stokes sent a cross from the right to the left side of the field where Pause headed backward to Carrieri, setting up the goal.
The win is Carolina's third in a row over Clemson after having previously lost seven straight to the Tigers. Last season, the Tar Heels won both games between the two schools - 2-1 in the regular season in Chapel Hill and 1-0 in overtime in the ACC Tournament first round.
