University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Open Against St. John's, Connecticut This Weekend
August 28, 2003 | Men's Soccer
Aug. 28, 2003
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - With a pair of exhibition games under its belt, the University of North Carolina men's soccer team opens the 2003 regular season this weekend against two of the nation's top teams at the Wake Forest adidas Tournament. The 19th-ranked Tar Heels play No. 5 St. John's at 5 p.m. Friday and face 10th-ranked Connecticut at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Deacons' Spry Stadium.
Carolina leads the all-time slate with St. John's, 1-0, and owns a 4-2 advantage versus the Huskies. UNC and SJU last met in 1980, while the Tar Heels last played UConn in 1995. Carolina has won three straight over the Huskies, and Saturday's UNC-UConn meeting features two of the last three NCAA champions. Connecticut captured the 2000 title, while UNC won the crown in 2001.
Last time out, the Tar Heels tied Old Dominion in an exhibition game at Cary's SAS Stadium, 1-1, on Aug. 23. UNC topped College of Charleston, 2-1, on Aug. 17 to open the exhibition season. Freshman Wes Shull scored in both of the preseason contests. St. John's is fresh off a 4-1 exhibition win over Massachusetts, while UConn tied Fairfield, 0-0, and lost to Duke, 2-1, in the preseason.
The St. John's contest marks the regular season debut for 14 Tar Heel freshmen, including U.S. Under-17 National Team members Corey Ashe, Michael Harrington and Jamie Watson, who just returned from the U-17 World Cup in Finland. Sophomore goalkeeper Ford Williams returns from a stint in Spain with the U.S. U-20 team this week and will be with the Tar Heels against UConn Saturday. Junior forward Marcus Storey returns as Carolina's top scorer from a year ago.
Following this weekend's action, UNC heads to Vermont for the Smith Barney Vermont Classic, Sept. 5 and 7. The Tar Heels open their home slate with the 2003 Nike Carolina Classic, Sept. 12 and 14, at Fetzer Field.
--TarHeelBlue.com--
