University of North Carolina Athletics
No. 5 Tar Heels Host Nike Carolina Classic
September 11, 2003 | Men's Soccer
Sept. 11, 2003
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - After beginning the season with two straight weekends on the road, the fifth-ranked North Carolina men's soccer team (3-0-1) opens its home slate this weekend with the 2003 Nike Carolina Classic at Fetzer Field. The Tar Heels will play Michigan (3-1-0) at 7:30 p.m. Friday and face No. 24 Virginia Commonwealth (3-1-0) at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. UNC Greensboro rounds out the four-team tournament field.
Offensively, Carolina is led by junior forward Marcus Storey, who leads the team and tops the Atlantic Coast Conference with four goals. He owns nine points on the season and is second in the league with 2.25 points per game. Freshman Jamie Watson ranks second on the squad with two goals and is tied for the team lead with two assists. He is currently tied for fourth in the ACC in points per game, tied for fifth in goals per game and sixth in assists per contest. As a team, the Tar Heels rank second in the league with 2.25 goals scored per game.
On the defensive side of the ball, UNC is second in the ACC with a 0.46 goals against average. Sophomore Ford Williams owns a 0.45 mark, while rookie Justin Hughes posted a 0.48 GAA over the season's first two games. The Tar Heels own two shutouts this season, 3-0 wins over Connecticut and New Hampshire.
Carolina's first opponent on the weekend, Michigan, is coming off a 1-0 win over Evansville on Sept. 7. Earlier last weekend the Wolverines lost to Dayton, 4-2. Knox Cameron and Mychal Turpin are Michigan's top scorers, with five and six points, respectively. Peter Dzubay has gone the whole season in goal with a 1.00 GAA. This is the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
No. 24 VCU will attempt to rebound from a 4-1 loss to Florida International last time out. The Rams, who were ranked 10th nationally entering last weekend, are led by McColm Cephas, who has four goals and an assist on the season. Cristian Neagu is second on the team with five points. Saul Montero owns a 1.50 GAA. The Tar Heels lost at VCU, 1-0, last season in the teams' first meeting.
After this weekend, Carolina opens ACC play at Virginia on Sept. 20. The next home game for the Tar Heels comes against Duke on Sept. 24 at 7 p.m.
2003 NIKE CAROLINA CLASSIC SCHEDULE (All games played at Fetzer Field on the UNC campus)
Friday, September 12
UNC Greensboro vs. No. 24 Virginia Commonwealth - 5 p.m.
Michigan vs. No. 5 North Carolina - 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 12
UNC Greensboro vs. Michigan - Noon
No. 24 Virginia Commonwealth vs. No. 5 North Carolina - 2:30 p.m.
--TarHeelBlue.com--
