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University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Virginia
Virginia Drops No. 12 Tar Heels With Late PK
October 3, 2008 | Men's Soccer
Oct. 3, 2008
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Virginia's Tony Tchani converted a penalty kick in the 85th minute to hand No. 12 North Carolina its first home loss of the season by a 1-0 margin Friday at Fetzer Field. With the victory, the Cavaliers (6-3-0, 3-0-0 ACC) remained unbeaten in Atlantic Coast Conference play, while the Tar Heels (8-2-1, 1-2-0 ACC) suffered their second straight league setback.
In a physical match that featured 43 fouls, including 25 by the Wahoos, Tchani's eighth goal was the only offense UVa would need to claim its first win in Chapel Hill since 2000. Virginia was awarded the PK when UNC goalkeeper Jacob Wescoe came out challenge Virginia's Chase Neinken, who made a run down the left side and into the box. The pair collided, and Wescoe was whistled for the foul to set up the game-winning score.
On the penalty attempt, Wescoe went to his right, and Tchani sent the ball just to his right of center with 5:06 remaining for a 1-0 lead.
Trailing by a goal, the Tar Heels could not muster a shot attempt until Ryan Adeleye sent a blast from near midfield over the crossbar with seven seconds remaining.
UNC closed the night with an 11-7 advantage in shots, four of which were put on frame, and an 8-3 edge in corners. Virginia keeper Michael Giallombardo made four stops, while Wescoe had one for the Tar Heels.
In addition to the loss to the Cavaliers, UNC also lost junior forward and leading scorer Eddie Ababio in the 82nd minute with his second yellow card and the subsequent red card. Due to the ejection, Ababio will have to sit out Carolina's next match - at Duke next Friday night.
Before intermission, Carolina held possession for much of the first half en route to an 8-3 edge in shots, but the Wahoos threatened to grab the lead with 20 minutes left in the opening period. However, Wescoe kept Virginia off the board by coming out to challenge the Cavs' Brian Ownby and knocking the ball away on two occasions.
Wescoe thwarted an Ownby scoring chance once again in the 33rd minute with a save on a breakaway shot from inside the box.
Of Carolina's eight shots in the opening period, the best chances came from senior forward Brian Shriver, who sent a header just over the crossbar in the 28th minute and followed with a blast from the left side of the 18th that was saved by Giallombardo, who made three stops before halftime.
The Tar Heels are now off for a week before facing rival Duke at 7 p.m. next Friday, Oct. 10, in Durham.
