Men's Soccer Will Play Wake In NCAA Quarterfinal Monday

NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal
Matchup: North Carolina (8-4-4) vs. Wake Forest (13-2-2)
Rankings: UNC No. 16, Wake Forest No. 4 (United Soccer Coaches)
Date: Monday May 10, 2021
Site: Cary, N.C. (WakeMed Soccer Park Field #2)
Time: 5 p.m.
TV: NCAA.com/GoHeels.com

• North Carolina's men's soccer team (8-4-4) will try for its ninth berth in the NCAA College Cup when it plays Wake Forest (13-2-2) on Monday May 10 in the 2020 NCAA Tournament quarterfinals at WakeMed Soccer Park Field No. 2.
• The Tar Heels and Demon Deacons will meet for a second time this season just after 5 p.m. on Monday.
• The 16th-ranked Tar Heels advanced to the quarterfinals with a 1-0 win over No. 4 seed Stanford on May 6. Earlier, UNC reached the third round in a thriller on May 2, tying Charlotte, 1-1, before moving on by virtue of a 4-1 edge in penalty kicks.
• UNC finished second in the ACC Coastal standings in 2020 behind Pitt, based on its 4-1-1 record this Spring against divisional opponents (wins over Pitt, Virginia, Notre Dame and Duke, a tie with Syracuse and a loss to Virginia Tech).
• North Carolina is the only school in the nation with both its men's and women's soccer teams reaching the NCAA quarterfinals. The UNC women are scheduled to play Texas A&M in the quarterfinals on Sunday at 1 p.m.
• The Demon Deacons are 13-2-2 this season and ranked No. 4 in the United Soccer Coaches poll. Wake beat Kentucky, 2-1, in the second round to reach Monday's quarterfinal.
• Opening kick is scheduled for just after 5 p.m., and the contest will be streamed on GoHeels.com and NCAA.com.

Carolina's NCAA Tournament History
• North Carolina is making its 27th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and its 20th in the last 22 years.
• In the last 13 NCAA Tournaments (2008-20), Carolina leads all NCAA Division I programs in NCAA Tournament wins (25), Sweet 16 appearances (10), quarterfinal appearances (nine) and College Cup berths (six).
• The Tar Heels are 41-21-9 (.641) all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
• UNC has reached the NCAA College Cup eight times (1987, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2017), including three times under head coach Carlos Somoano (2011, 2016, 2017).
• Carolina won the NCAA title in 2001 and in 2011.
• Somoano led Carolina to the NCAA championship in 2011 in his first season as the UNC head coach.

Pickering's Goal, Strong Defense Lead Upset of No. 5 Stanford in NCAA Second Round
• Midfielder Joe Pickering scored on a header in the first half and the Carolina defense clamped down the rest of the way as the Tar Heels beat fourth-seeded Stanford, 1-0, on May 6 in the third round of the NCAA Tournament at the WakeMed Soccer Center.
• Unseeded UNC (8-4-4) advanced to its ninth NCAA quarterfinal since 2008, most of any school in the nation in that span. Stanford saw its season come to an end at 10-3-1.
• Carolina took a quick, 1-0, lead in the 14th minute when Pickering scored his first goal of the season, heading a corner kick from Milo Garvanian to score at the 13:40 mark of the first half. Garvanian dished out an assist for the second NCAA Tournament game in a row after also doing so in the second-round match with Charlotte on May 2.
• The Tar Heels slowed down the Cardinal attack throughout the game, limiting an offense that entered the matchup averaging more than two goals per game. UNC's defense limited Stanford to just one shot in the first half and four in the game.
• Goalie Alec Smir posted his ACC-leading 10th shutout of the season and the 19th of his career.

Clarke, Smir Lead Tar Heels Into NCAA Third Round In Thriller
• Akeim Clarke scored a goal and Alec Smir made pressure-packed saves in goal as North Carolina advanced in the NCAA Tournament by penalty kicks over Charlotte in second-round action on May 2 in Cary.
• Clarke's second-half goal gave Carolina a 1-0 lead in regulation, then Smir made two huge saves of Charlotte penalty kicks to send the Tar Heels into a third-round matchup with Stanford.
• Clarke scored his first career goal with 16:19 remaining in the second half, taking a pass from Milo Garvanian and scoring for a 1-0 UNC lead. It was just the 10th goal allowed by Charlotte all season and the third allowed by 49er keeper Austin Mullins.
• Charlotte tied the score in the 84th minute with 5:25 remaining in regulation. After a Tar Heel foul just outside the box, the 49ers were able to score off the ensuing free kick by Joe Brito. It was just the 9th goal allowed by Smir this season.
• Both overtime periods were scoreless, with the Tar Heel defense barely averting a goal when Charlotte hit the post on a rebound shot attempt at one point.
• In penalty kicks, UNC's Santiago Herrera connected first for the Tar Heels. After Charlotte tied it at 1-1 and Alex Rose scored to make it 2-1 Carolina, Smir dove to his right and saved Axel Sigurdarson's attempt. Garvanian then put Carolina ahead 3-1.
• Smir made another huge save to preserve the 3-1 UNC edge, then Ernest Bawa scored on his attempt to clinch the 4-1 edge in penalty kicks and the Tar Heel victory.
• Carolina's defense limited Charlotte to just six shots, only two of which was on goal. UNC out-shot the 49ers, 16-6, in the game.

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Players Mentioned

Ernest Bawa

Akeim Clarke

Milo Garvanian

Santiago Herrera

Joe Pickering

Alex Rose

Alec Smir