Tar Heels Travel to No. 2 Duke Sunday

October 1, 2004 | Men's Soccer

By: UNC Athletic Communications

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Oct. 1, 2004

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - North Carolina hopes to put an end to Duke's unbeaten streak, when the Tar Heels (2-4-2, 1-0-0 ACC) travel to Durham to take on the second-ranked Blue Devils (10-0-0, 2-0-0 ACC) at 7 p.m. Sunday at Koskinen Stadium. The Tar Heels, who lost to NSCAA No. 2 UNC Greensboro Wednesday, are facing their second second-ranked team of the week. Duke, who blanked Appalachian State Wednesday, is rated No. 2 by Soccer America.

This week's national rankings: Duke is ranked No. 2 by Soccer America and No. 7 by the NSCAA. North Carolina enters the match unranked.

All-time series record: Carolina leads the all-time series, 35-31-6. This is the teams' 73rd meeting.

Last meeting: Carolina defeated the Blue Devils, 3-2, in overtime on Sept. 24, 2003, at Fetzer Field.

Last time in Durham: Duke defeated the Tar Heels, 1-0, in 2002.

SCOUTING DUKE
At 10-0-0, Duke is off to its best start since the 1982 squad opened 11-0-0. The Blue Devils have outscored their opponents, 33-3. Eight players have at least 10 points on the season, led by junior Danny Kramer, who has 16 points on five goals and six assists. Sophomore Josh Swank leads the team with six goals on the year. Senior goalkeeper Justin Trowbridge sports a 0.14 goals against average.

CARLYLE CUP POINT ON THE LINE
A point for the 2004-05 Carlyle Cup, the all-sports competition between Carolina and Duke, will be on the line in Durham on Sunday. Thanks to wins in field hockey and volleyball, the Tar Heels hold a 1.5-0 lead on the Blue Devils. Sophomore midfielder Wes Shull, who scored the overtime game-winner against Duke last year, was named the men's Carlyle Cup MVP for Carolina in the 2003-04 competition.

TOUGH WEEK FOR TAR HEELS
After playing No. 6 Old Dominion and No. 12 Virginia last week, things only get tougher for the Tar Heels this week. Carolina faces a pair of unbeaten, No. 2-ranked teams on the road in UNC Greensboro (No. 2 NSCAA) Wednesday and Duke (No. 2 Soccer America) Sunday. The Tar Heels lost to the Spartans, 1-0. After hosting UNC Asheville on October 6, the Tar Heels face yet another top team in No. 14 Maryland, which was ranked No. 1 last week, October 10.

GERMANI LOST FOR SEASON
Freshman defensive midfielder Chris Germani, who had started four matches, was lost for the season with a right knee injury suffered in practice prior to the win over Virginia. According to head coach Elmar Bolowich, Germani will require surgery and should miss approximately six months. "The injury is a setback for Chris," said Bolowich. "He was getting more and more comfortable in his position as a defensive midfielder but is now sidelined for the remainder of the season and possibly the spring."

BIG BREAKTHROUGH AGAINST CAVALIERS
Carolina snapped a four-match winless streak in fine fashion last Sunday, downing No. 12 Virginia, 2-1, at Fetzer Field. The win was the Tar Heels' first at home since a 1-0 victory over No. 1 Maryland on October 5 of last year. Adam Sloustcher and Michael Harrington both scored their first goal of the season to provide the offense, while the defense - led by Tim Merritt - played its most complete game of the year and limited UVa to just six shots and two corners.

STOREY STARTS HOT
Much like last season, senior forward Marcus Storey is off to a hot start for the Tar Heels. He has played in seven games and leads Carolina with nine points on two goals and five assists. The five assists are the most for Storey since he had eight as a freshman in 2001. Entering the week, he ranked third in the Atlantic Coast Conference and ninth nationally with 0.83 assists per game. Storey, who has tallied at least one point in five of the seven matches he has played in, now has 25 career goals and needs just three more to tie Billy Hartman (1981-84) and David Smyth (1984-87) for ninth on the career goals scored list at Carolina with 28.

FETZER'S FRIENDLY CONFINES
Despite a 308-96-24 all-time record at Fetzer Field, Carolina has struggled at home this season, posting a 1-2-1 mark thus far. In fact, the Tar Heels snapped a five-match winless streak at home with last Sunday's win over No. 12 Virginia. Over the last six seasons, Carolina owns an impressive 44-10-2 mark on its home turf. The Tar Heels have not lost more than two matches at home in a single season since 1999.

DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT
Through eight matches this season, the Tar Heels have allowed 15 goals compared to just 16 total goals allowed in 20 matches a year ago. However, UNC has allowed just two goals over its last two matches against Virginia and UNC Greensboro. The Tar Heels have also allowed just 15 combined shots and four combined corner kicks over this stretch. With seniors Grant Porter and Sean McGinty, as well as then-juniors Tim Merritt and Ray Fumo on the backline in 2003, UNC allowed its fewest goals since 1978. Stingy defense has been a trademark at Carolina in recent years, as the Tar Heels have allowed fewer than 20 goals in three of the last four seasons.

FRESHMEN CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE
Despite the loss of defensive midfielder Chris Germani, Carolina's talented crop of rookies continues to make an impact for head coach Elmar Bolowich. Seven different freshmen have played, led by Andre Sherard, who has started all eight matches at defender. Midfielder Dax McCarty has played in all eight games and is second on the team with six points on two goals and two assists. Defender Adam Sloustcher has also made five starts and scored the game-winner against Virginia. Defender Michael Walters has made four starts.

AMONG THE ACC LEADERS
As of September 28
• Marcus Storey is third in the ACC with 0.83 assists per game and seventh with 1.50 points per game.
• Jamie Watson ranks ninth in the league with 2.60 shots per game.
• Justin Hughes is sixth in the league with a 1.24 goals against average.
• Ford Williams is first in the league with 4.00 saves per game and ninth with a 2.30 goals against average.

TAR HEELS PUT TWO ON HERMANN TROPHY WATCH LIST
After each earning All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors a year ago, senior forward Marcus Storey and sophomore forward Jamie Watson were named to the second annual 25-man watch list for the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy, regarded as the most prestigious individual honor in intercollegiate soccer. The list was compiled by a coaching panel for the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, which serves as the official selection body for the award. Storey, who was also named a preseason second-team All-America by College Soccer News, has nine points on two goals and five assists this season, while Watson has five points on two goals and an assist.

CAROLINA PICKED AS LEAGUE FAVORITE BY ACC COACHES
For just the second time since 1990, the Tar Heels were chosen by the Atlantic Coast Conference head coaches as the favorite to win the league title. The last time UNC was picked to finish first it did win the league but went on to claim the NCAA crown in 2001. This time around, Carolina was the only team with more than one (four) first-place votes. The Tar Heels tallied 57 total points, outdistancing second-place Virginia, which had 51 points.