Men's soccer preps for ACC tournament

Before the North Carolina men’s soccer team faces off against Louisville in the ACC championship quarterfinals on Sunday, many might find it difficult to forget the Tar Heels’ performance in the same position just one year ago.

UNC dropped its quarterfinal game at Clemson 2-1 last year after holding on to a 1-0 lead for the first 75 minutes.

And while it’s hard for fans not to draw comparisons to what was a lackluster 2013 campaign, Coach Carlos Somoano said he isn’t concerned with looking in the past.

“I don’t relate it to last year. Last year was different,” he said. “We know what our strengths and weaknesses are and now it’s just about being laser-focused on Sunday.”

And while Somoano isn’t interested in the comparisons, it’s challenging not to notice the glaring differences between this year’s and last year’s squad.

In 20 games in 2013, the Tar Heels managed only 19 goals. This year, the team has already netted 39 in three fewer games.

This is partly due to the return of seniors Andy Craven and Rob Lovejoy, who both missed the 2013 season with injuries. In their comeback campaigns, the tandem have scored a combined 13 goals and have tallied 11 assists.

Brendan Moore, the Tar Heels’ senior goalkeeper, said that the team’s scoring pace has taken pressure off of himself and the team’s defenders.

“It helps when you have confidence in your attacking side to score goals,” he said. “Of course we don’t want to give up goals, but it definitely helps when those guys are putting some in the net.”

Moore, along with Craven and Lovejoy, highlight a Tar Heel squad that has seen major production from its senior members. In total, seniors have accounted for 24 of the team’s 39 goals and 19 of its 43 assists.

Although the veteran Tar Heels have led the way for the most part, Somoano said that it doesn’t mean much in the end.

“I think the whole senior thing is a little overrated to be honest,” he said.

“I mean I’m glad we have them because they have a better understanding of what my expectations are, but that doesn’t mean a freshman can’t come in and steal the show for us or for them.”

Senior midfielder Verneri Valimaa had a similar view on the game. Like Somoano, Valimaa said a mix of players, both seniors and underclassmen, will have to perform in order for the No. 3 seeded Tar Heels to get past No. 6 seeded Louisville Sunday, who just fell out of the top 25 poll.

“Having leaders and contributors at every position all over the field definitely helps us,” he said. “We have experience everywhere on the field, not just in our older guys, and in the end that’s going to be the difference between winning and losing.”

sports@dailytarheel.com