University of North Carolina Athletics
No. 2 Carolina Meets Clemson In Regular Season Finale
November 5, 2009 | Men's Soccer
Nov. 5, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - A lot will be on the line for No. 2 North Carolina Friday when it faces Clemson at 7 p.m. at Riggs Field in the regular season finale for both teams. The Tar Heels (12-2-2, 4-2-1 ACC) can clinch at least a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season title for the first time since 2000 with a win over the Tigers (5-10-1, 2-5-0 ACC).
As always in the ultra-competitive ACC, seeding for the conference tournament comes down to the final weekend. Four teams are within two points of idle Maryland, which is in the clubhouse with 14 points and a 4-2-2 record. Carolina and Wake Forest are tied for second with 13 points and both can leapfrog the Terps with wins Friday. The Demon Deacons host Duke, which is tied for fourth in the standings with Boston College with 12 points.
The annual conference tournament kicks off Tuesday at Cary's WakeMed Soccer Park.
Carolina is coming off a 2-1 win at Elon that featured a pair of unassisted strikes from sophomore forward Billy Schuler. The Allentown, N.J., product leads the Tar Heels and is tied for fourth in the ACC with seven goals, and his 17 points are tied for seventh in the league. Schuler is one of six Tar Heels with at least six goals on the season, giving UNC a balanced offensive attack.
Carolina shares the league lead with 35 goals and has allowed just 10 on the season for a 0.60 goals against average. The Tar Heels' defense was bolstered last time out by the return of senior captain Zach Loyd, who missed the previous five games following an appendectomy.
Despite struggling for much of the season, Clemson appears to playing its best soccer and has won three straight matches, including a 1-0 victory at No. 11 NC State last weekend. The Tigers are coming off a 3-1 win over Longwood Tuesday.
Nathan Thornton and Austin Savage pace Clemson with six goals each. The Tigers have outscored the opposition by a slight 22-20 margin.
Following Friday's match, the Tar Heels will be back in action in an ACC quarterfinal match Wednesday in Cary. The league office will announce the seeding and schedule for the event Monday.
