University of North Carolina Athletics
No. 5 Tar Heels Meet No. 12 Virginia Friday At Fetzer
October 1, 2009 | Men's Soccer
Oct. 1, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - No. 5 North Carolina faces a fourth consecutive nationally-ranked opponent in Atlantic Coast Conference action Friday when No. 12 Virginia comes to Fetzer Field at 7 p.m. Both teams are coming off non-league victories Tuesday, as the Tar Heels (6-1-1, 2-1-0 ACC) won 2-0 at Radford, and the Cavaliers (6-2-0, 1-2-0 ACC) toppled VCU, 1-0, in overtime.
UNC is 2-1-0 against top-25 opponents this season with wins at home over Duke and NC State and a loss at Maryland.
Scoring could be at a premium Friday, as Carolina and Virginia rank as the ACC's top two defensive squads. The Cavaliers have allowed just four goals and own a 0.47 goals against average, while the Tar Heels have given up only five scores and own a 0.60 GAA. UVa keeper Diego Restrepo leads the ACC with a 0.50 GAA, and UNC's Brooks Haggerty is second at 0.60. Both goalies have recorded a league-best three shutouts.
The Tar Heels lead the league with 18 goals in just eight games for a 2.25 goals per game average, while Virginia has scored 10 times on the year. Carolina's high-powered attack is led by junior midfielder Michael Farfan, who leads Carolina and is tied for second in the league with four goals. Sophomore forward Billy Schuler and junior midfielder Cameron Brown each have three goals for the Tar Heels, who have had eight different players find the back of the net.
Neil Barlow and Toni Tchani pace Virginia with three goals apiece.
The Cavaliers lead the all-time series by a 33-32-7 margin and have taken two straight in the series, including a 1-0 win in Chapel Hill last season. The Tar Heels last win over Virginia came by a 2-1 margin at Fetzer Field in 2006.
UNC returns to action Tuesday, Oct. 6 against Liberty at 7 p.m. at home.
