Carolina Falls To App State, 1-0

Tuesday, October 29

Chapel Hill

7 p.m.

North Carolina

7-6-3

Appalachian State

10-4-1

APP STATE

UNC

October 29, 2019 | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score Season Stats

By: T.J. Scholl

CHAPEL HILL -- In the final home game of the regular season, North Carolina fell to Appalachian State 1-0 Tuesday evening at Dorrance Field at the UNC Soccer & Lacrosse Stadium to fall to 7-6-3 on the season. Both teams battled to a scoreless first half, but App State converted a penalty kick in the 72nd minute to secure the win.

The first half of the contest was a defensive battle between the Mountaineers and the Tar Heels. Following a corner in the 36th minute, Jeremy Kelly played a cross into the box and connected with Mauricio Pineda, but the header went over the crossbar. Subsequently, Pineda found Alex Rose in a prime position to score just minutes later. Pineda found the ball at his feet and as he hits it, the ball bounces to Rose who has his defender on his back a few yards out from goal. Rose went for the flick to redirect the ball to the side net, but it rolled just wide.

As the teams entered the halftime break, the Tar Heels held the edge in shots 5-2, with two attempts coming in the closing seconds.

The action on the pitch in the second half mirrored that of the first as both teams stayed in a deadlock defensive battle for the first 15 minutes of the half. The Tar Heels best scoring opportunity of the contest came in the 66th minute when Jack Skahan found Kelly in the box against two Mountaineer defenders. Kelly managed to find an opening and blasted a shot that went just over the crossbar. Five minutes later, in the 71st minute, a Carolina foul in the box set up an ensuing penalty kick for Appalachian State's Alex Hernandez. Driving home his fourth goal of the season, Hernandez's penalty kick found the lower left corner to give the Mountaineers a 1-0 lead. The Tar Heels searched for an equalizing goal in the closing minutes of the contest but were unable to find the back of the net.

The team will be back in action on Friday, Nov. 1 in an ACC showdown against the Virginia Cavaliers in Charlottesville, Va. at 7 p.m. to close out the regular season.