Height hero Tucker Hume helps UNC men's soccer

Tucker Hume stepped into a new role for the North Carolina men’s soccer team on Sunday night.

But the script stayed the same.

The redshirt junior recorded a goal and an assist in the No. 4 Tar Heels’ 2-1 win over No. 20 Coastal Carolina in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Hume, normally a “super-sub” for the Tar Heels’ offense, got a rare start in the matchup. And the newly-minted starter quickly made a difference.

“We’ve been talking all week about doing something positive,” he said. “Just starting out on the right foot.”

But it was Hume’s left foot that kicked things off for the Tar Heels.

Two minutes into the game, sophomore David October crossed a ball into the box, forcing the Chanticleers’ goalkeeper to parry. But the ball landed at the left foot of Hume, who tucked it into the back of the net for his conference-best 11th goal of the season.

The early goal — UNC’s fastest of the year — helped set the tone offensively.

“Obviously the first couple of balls you get, you want to do something well with it because it helps your confidence,” Hume said.

The forward learned he would get the start days after it was announced the Tar Heels would face Coastal Carolina in the second round.

Coach Carlos Somoano’s decision to start Hume was heavily influenced by the height of the Chanticleers — who feature six players 6-foot-4 or taller.

“You see a very tall team in Coastal Carolina, and once we took (Hume) off the field for a few minute break, they had a couple set pieces that got a little hairy,” Somoano said of his 6-foot-5 forward. “He helped us match-up.”

Hume covered the entirety of the pitch, especially in the final 10 minutes. UNC held a one-goal lead with just over five minutes left in the match when Hume connected with Zach Wright to put the Tar Heel’s up 2-0.

“I just chested the ball to the middle and I saw Zach pulling away. No one was marking him, and then I knew Zach was one-on-one with the goalie,” Hume said.

“It turned out to be the game winner.”

When Coastal Carolina answered with three minutes left to cut the deficit to one, UNC went all-out defensively. Hume moved back into his half and helped his defense stifle the Chanticleers. 

“When it came time in those last three minutes, everybody was back there to help out,” said redshirt senior goalkeeper Sam Euler. 

With Hume’s performance, size might not be the only reason Somoano integrated the reserve into the starting 11.

“I just figured Tucker is pretty good and I think it worked out pretty good tonight,” he said.

“It seems to be no different whether he comes off the bench or starts. He is just producing right now.”

@Evan_Chronis

sports@dailytarheel.com