University of North Carolina Athletics
No. 2 Tar Heels, No. 4 Terps Meet In Title Game Rematch
September 24, 2009 | Men's Soccer
Sept. 24, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - In a rematch of the 2008 NCAA College Cup title game, No. 2 North Carolina travels to No. 4 Maryland Friday for an 8 p.m. tilt at Ludwig Field that will air live on the Fox Soccer Channel. After two weeks, the Tar Heels (5-0-1, 2-0-0 ACC) and Terrapins (4-1-1, 1-0-1 ACC) are the top two teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings, and Friday's game could go a long way in determining seeding for November's ACC Championship.
North Carolina is the league's lone team with two victories and sits at the top of the ACC standings with six points. The Tar Heels, who beat NC State and Duke by 2-1 margins, won their first two league matches for the first time since 1987. As a testament to just how tough life can be in the ACC, the Tar Heels have not started 3-0-0 in the league since 1968.
Maryland leads the all-time series, 42-21-3, and the Terps are unbeaten in the last eight meetings, including three one-goal victories a year ago. Maryland edged Carolina, 1-0, in the 2008 national title game. UNC's last win in the series came in Chapel Hill in 2003 when it beat the No. 1-ranked Terps 1-0 at Fetzer Field. At College Park, the Tar Heels' last victory came in 2000 with a 5-1 win.
Both teams are coming off tight midweek victories, as Carolina edged ETSU, 2-1 in overtime, and Maryland topped St. Peter's, 1-0. Sophomore forward Billy Schuler has scored in each of the past two games for the Tar Heels, tallying five of his six points on the season over this stretch. In the Sept. 18 win over Duke, he scored Carolina's first goal and assisted on Cameron Brown's game-winner. Tuesday Schuler scored in the 98th minute to lift UNC past ETSU, 2-1.
Schuler is one of six Tar Heels with multiple goals on the season. Midfielders Cameron Brown and Michael Farfan lead the way with three scores apiece.
Senior goalkeeper Brooks Haggerty was outstanding in the 2008 postseason run and has picked up where he left off this season. After battling injuries for much of his UNC career, Haggerty entered 2009 in the best shape of his collegiate career and owns a 0.63 goals against average and 15 saves in 567 minutes. He has gone the distance in goal for the Tar Heels this season.
Senior captain Zach Loyd, who has played at outside back and in the midfield throughout his Carolina career, is playing center back for the first time due to a season-ending knee injury to starter David Rodriguez. With Loyd in the mix, the Tar Heels have started three new defenders for much of the season - Loyd, Brett King and Drew McKinney. Results have been solid thus far, as the Tar Heels have yielded just four goals and are holding the opposition to just 5.8 shots and 1.3 corner kicks per game.
Jason Herrick leads Maryland with four goals and nine points, while Casey Towsend has scored three times. The Terps have outscored their opponents by a 13-4 margin.
