University of North Carolina Athletics
Red-Hot Carolina, Clemson Meet In ACC Semis
November 10, 2005 | Men's Soccer
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Nov. 10, 2005
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Two of the ACC's hottest teams will meet in Friday's second conference semifinal when No. 6 seed North Carolina (14-3-2) faces off against No. 7 seed Clemson (11-4-3) at 8 p.m. at SAS Soccer Park. A 1-0 winner over NC State Wednesday, the Tar Heels are unbeaten in their last six matches, while Clemson defeated No. 2 seed Virginia to move to 6-0-2 in its last eight outings. Carolina defeated the Tigers, 1-0, in Chapel Hill Sept. 23. A second win over Clemson would put the Tar Heels in their first ACC title game since 2000.
CAROLINA AT A GLANCE
• North Carolina is 14-3-2 on the season, and a win Friday will give the Tar Heels their most victories since winning 21 in 2001. UNC's 8-1-1 record after 10 games was its best opening since the College Cup squad of 1987 started 9-1-0.
• Since losing at Maryland Oct. 14, the Tar Heels are unbeaten in their last six matches and own a 5-0-1 mark over this stretch. Carolina has allowed just two goals since losing to the Terps.
• Freshman midfielder Scott Campbell has a team-best 10 goals and 25 points. Twenty-four of Carolina's 33 goals in 2005 have been scored by players that were not on last season's roster.
• Carolina has allowed just 13 goals in 19 games this season. The Tar Heels allowed six scores over a two-game stretch with Maryland and William & Mary but have responded with five straight shutouts, including four in ACC play - Duke, Wake Forest, Boston College and NC State.
• Carolina is building a strong NCAA Tournament resume thanks to a 6-2-1 mark against nationally-ranked opponents. The Tar Heels are in search of a school-record seventh straight postseason bid.
HEELS' HISTORY IN ACC TOURNAMENT PLAY
Carolina advanced to the ACC semifinals for the second straight season and the 11th time overall with the 1-0 win over NC State Wednesday. A year ago, Carolina fell to Maryland, 4-2, in the semifinals. Overall, the Tar Heels are 14-15-2 (.484) in ACC Championship play. UNC won ACC titles in 1987 and 2001 and also advanced to the title game in 1988. The Tar Heels are 9-7-2 in first round games, 3-7 in the semifinals and 2-1 in the title game.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Clemson has won five straight and is 6-0-2 over its last eight games. The Tigers have won two straight over ranked opponents - Duke and Virginia. Junior Dane Richards leads the Tigers with 23 points on eight goals and seven assissts. Clemson, led by ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Nate Sturgis has scored 34 goals and allowed just 16. Goalkeeper Phil Marfuggi owns a 0.89 goals against average.
SERIES WITH CLEMSON
Clemson holds a 25-17-6 lead in the all-time series with Carolina. The Tar Heels have won the last two meetings and three of the last five. The Tigers last win in the series was a 3-2 decision in the 2002 ACC quarterfinals. Carolina and Clemson have split eight meetings in ACC tourney play with the Tigers winning the last two (2001, 2002). Clemson posted a 2-1 win over Carolina the last time the teams met in the semifinals in 2001, and the Tar Heels went on to capture the NCAA title.
Earlier this season, the Tar Heels posted a 1-0 win over Clemson Sept. 23 on a Scott Campbell rebound goal in the 62nd minute.
LAST TIME OUT: CAROLINA 1, NC STATE 0
No. 4 North Carolina rode its fifth consecutive shutout and the left foot of junior forward Ben Hunter to a 1-0 victory over No. 12 NC State Wednesday in Atlantic Coast Conference quarterfinal action at SAS Soccer Park. With the win, Carolina improves to 9-0-3 in its last 12 meetings with the Wolfpack (11-6-1). Hunter, who has scored three of his seven goals against NC State, connected on a 25-yard free kick at 60:44 to give the Tar Heels a 1-0 lead. All-ACC midfielder Dax McCarty was fouled about seven yards outside the 18-yard box, and Hunter then left-footed the free kick into the left side of the net. Hunter's goal would be more than enough offense for the Tar Heels, who have blanked five straight opponents for the first time since the national championship run of 2001. NC State managed just six shots and put only two on frame. The Pack's best chance came when midfielder John Queeley sent a free kick off the cross bar in the 65th minute. Carolina keeper Justin Hughes went the distance in goal and made two saves to post his fifth shutout of the season.
"THE WOLF" HUNTER
Carolina junior forward Ben Hunter has been a thorn in the side of NC State this season, scoring all three Tar Heel goals in the teams' two meetings. Wednesday, the Doncaster, England native provided all the offense needed with a free kick goal in the 61st minute. He also added two goals in the 2-2 tie with NC State Sept. 14 - one a free kick and the other on a penalty kick. Three of Hunter's seven goals this season have come at SAS Soccer Park against NC State on the same end of the field.
SHUTOUT STREAK AT FIVE
The Tar Heels have not allowed a goal in their last five matches, giving them five consecutive shutouts for the first time since the 2001 national championship season. Carolina can tie the school record for consecutive shutouts - six set in 1992 - against Clemson Friday. The Tar Heels have not allowed a goal in their last 14 periods of play - 11 halves and portions of three overtime periods.
FIVE TAR HEELS NAMED ALL-ACC
Sophomore midfielder Dax McCarty captured first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors, while midfielder Scott Campbell and defenders Michael Harrington and Andre Sherard each picked up second-team accolades as the ACC announced its 2005 men's soccer honors Monday. The four selections for the Tar Heels are their most since 2002.
TAR HEELS SPORT ACC'S BEST D
A trademark of Carolina soccer under Elmar Bolowich has been a stout defense, and this season is no different. The Tar Heels have allowed an ACC-low 13 goals this season and own a 0.66 goals against average, the lowest mark in the ACC and the 16th-best mark in the nation. The 13 goals allowed are the fewest for Carolina since giving up just 12 in 1978.
BIG THREE LEADS TO VICTORIES
If any of its three leading scorers finds the back of the net, Carolina can usually count on a win. The Tar Heels are 8-0 when freshman midfielder Scott Campbell scores, 6-0 when junior forward Corey Ashe scores and 4-0-1 when junior forward Ben Hunter, who scored in Wednesday's win over NC State, nets a goal. All of Campbell's team-best 25 points have come in Tar Heel victories.
TWO IS THE MAGIC NUMBER
The Tar Heels, who have scored 33 goals this season, are unbeaten when scoring at least twice. Carolina is 8-0-1 with two goals on the board and a perfect 4-0-0 when scoring three times. Thanks to a strong defense, Carolina is also 6-1-0 when scoring just one goal.
FIREWORKS AT FETZER
Freshman midfielder Scott Campbell scored three goals in the win over Boston College Nov. 4 for the Tar Heels' first hat trick since Ryan Kneipper tied school record with five goals in a win over Winthrop in the 2002 NCAA Tournament. Campbell also added an assist for a career-best seven points. Corey Ashe added a goal and two assists, as Carolina notched five goals for the second time this season. The Tar Heels five goals were their most in an ACC game since a 5-1 win at Maryland in 2000.
HUGHES EQUALS WINS
Junior Justin Hughes was inserted into the regular starting lineup following the 4-1 loss at Maryland, and the Tar Heels have not lost since, posting a 5-0-1 record over this stretch. Hughes has posted five straight shutouts and made several spectacular saves to preserve a tie with Duke Oct. 28. Hughes has four shutouts in six starts this season and sports a 0.29 goals against average. He now has 11 career shutouts in 19 games played.
SCORING STARTS WITH MCCARTY
Sophomore Dax McCarty, who earned first-team All-ACC honors for the first time in his career, has been outstanding in the midfield this season, providing seamless transition from defense to offense for the Tar Heels. The Winter Park, Fla., product has shown steady ball control and leads the team with six assists. He also takes a majority of Carolina's corner kicks and free kicks and nailed the game-winning goal off a free kick in the Tar Heels overtime win over Elon Oct. 4. McCarty's other goal this season was the winner at VCU in the season opener. He is tied for fourth on the team with 10 points.
BOOLE EARNS ACADEMIC HONOR
Junior defender David Boole was selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III First Team, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced Nov. 3. A business administration major from Raleigh, Boole has started all 19 games at outside back for Carolina and has four assists. He assisted on three of the Tar Heels' first four goals of the season and was named ACC Player of the Week Sept. 5. Boole has helped anchor a Carolina defense that has posted 12 shutouts and leads the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 0.66 goals against average. Boole is a two-time member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll and has earned Dean's List honors in each of the last three semesters.
DEFENSE BACK TO FORM
Carolina was led by its defense for the first half of the season, allowing just seven goals in the first 12 games. But The Tar Heels surrendered nearly that many over the next two matches against Maryland and William & Mary, but this top-notch defense has returned in the last four games - all shutouts. Carolina blanked Wake Forest Oct. 22 for its first win over the Deacs since 2000 and followed with shutouts of High Point, Duke, Boston College and NC State. The Tar Heels now have 12 shutouts in just 19 games this season for its most since the 2001 national championship squad posted a school-record 14. The Tar Heels ranked sixth nationally in shutout percentage (0.61) entering the tournament.
ASHE REGAINS SCORING TOUCH
Junior forward Corey Ashe led the Tar Heels with nine goals a year ago and started quickly this season with four goals early in the season. But the Virginia Beach, Va., native was held scoreless for over a month before netting his fifth goal at High Point Oct. 25. Ashe then added a goal and his first two assists in the win over Boston College Nov. 4 to close out the regular season with 14 points. Four of Ashe's six scores have been game-winners against Richmond, Rutgers, No. 22 Old Dominion and Boston College. A native of Virginia Beach, Va., Ashe now has 19 career goals, including nine game-winners.
CAMPBELL LEADS OFFENSIVE CHARTS
Freshman midfielder Scott Campbell leads the Tar Heels with 25 points on 10 goals and five assists in 18 games this season. The Plantation, Fla., native's 25 points are the most by a Carolina freshman since Marcus Storey had 26 points (nine goals, eight assists) to earn ACC Freshman of the Year honors in 2001. Four of his goals have been game-winners against Clemson, Old Dominion, South Carolina and William & Mary. Campbell has scored at least one goal and an assist on four different occasions. Campbell ranks fourth in the ACC with 25 points and fifth with 10 goals.
TAR HEELS STEADY IN THE BACK
Carolina's backline of juniors Ted Odgers, David Boole and Michael Harrington and sophomore Andre Sherard has started 18 of 19 games for the Tar Heels this season and is one of the most veteran parts of this year's team. This group has surrendered just 13 goals in 19 games this season and has limited the opponent's scoring chances, allowing just 8.8 shots and 3.2 corner kicks per game. Odgers and Sherard man the center back positions, while Boole and Harrington moved to the outside spots for the first time this year. Sherard and Harrington both earned second-team All-ACC honors for their strong play this season.
SHRIVER COMES ON STRONG
Freshman forward Brian Shriver finished fourth on the team with five goals - four of which have come over the last eight matches. The Clearwater, Fla., native scored in three straight from Oct. 11-18 and returned to the back of the net with the game-winner against High Point Oct. 25. Shriver has scored in three of the five games he has started this season.
HUNTER SCORES IN BUNCHES
Junior transfer Ben Hunter is second on the team with 19 points on seven goals and five assists, but his points have come in bunches. The Doncaster, England, native scored twice in the 2-2 tie at NC State Sept. 14 and followed nearly a month later with two goals in the Oct. 11 win over Longwood. He chipped in with a goal and an assist in the Nov. 4 win over Boston College for his third game with three or more points. Hunter also added goals versus William & Mary Oct. 18 and NC State in the ACC tourney Nov. 9. The former NAIA All-America has played in all 19 games for the Tar Heels, starting 15.
OFFENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS
After scoring just 15 goals through the first 11 matches, the Tar Heel offense has picked up lately to the tune of 18 goals in the last eight games, an average of 2.3 per outing. Carolina scored five in wins over Longwood and Boston College. Carolina has scored three or more goals just four times this season but three times in the last seven games.
