University of North Carolina Athletics
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UNC Asheville
Urso, No. 1 Tar Heels Cruise Past Bulldogs, 5-0
September 1, 2009 | Men's Soccer
Sept. 1, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Sophomore Kirk Urso logged his first career multi-goal game, and No. 1 North Carolina exploded for three goals in a seven-minute span late in the second half to claim a 5-0 win over UNC Asheville Tuesday in the season opener for both teams at Fetzer Field.
In addition to Urso's pair of quality strikes, the Tar Heels (1-0-0) also got goals from sophomore Alex Dixon, freshman Enzo Martinez and junior Dustin McCarty. Senior goalkeeper Brooks Haggerty went the distance in net and made three stops against the Bulldogs (0-1-0) to log his seventh career shutout.
Carolina's five-goal outburst was its largest offensive output in an opener since an 8-1 win over East Carolina in the first game the 2001 national championship season.
Urso, who netted his second career game-winner with his first goal in the 22nd minute, rocked home a loose ball into the upper right side of the net from 22 yards for the lone goal of the first half.
After intermission, UNCA starting keeper Lassi Hurskainen, who finished with six saves, turned away a pair of quality chances until the Tar Heels finally broke through with a second goal in the 61st minute. Billy Schuler worked his way into the right corner, sent a perfect cross to the far post, and Dixon skied over a Bulldog defender for the header and a 2-0 Tar Heel lead. Dixon's goal was the sixth of his career.
Just over 18 minutes later, Martinez, one of the most prolific scorers in the history of high school soccer, netted his first strike at Carolina when he fired home a deflected ball in the box from six yards out for the 3-0 UNC lead.
Urso struck again with the first of two goals in the 86th minute when he collected another loose ball, turned and fired from just inside the 18 into the right side of the net for Carolina's fourth goal of the night and his fifth as a Tar Heel.
The Tar Heels needed just 38 seconds to close the scoring when McCarty took a feed from Chris Lebo and scored from eight yards out on the left side for his second goal at Carolina and the 5-0 final margin.
UNC finished the night with a 22-4 edge on the shot chart and a 6-0 advantage in corners.
The Tar Heels return to action this weekend in the annual Carolina Nike Classic. UNC Greensboro, Evansville and Northern Illinois round out the field. Admission to all four games is free of charge.
