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The Daily Tar Heel

UNC men's soccer earns 3-0 season-opening win against Cal Poly

The No. 8 North Carolina men's soccer team kicked off its 2016 season with a 3-0 win over Cal Poly at Fetzer Field on Friday night. 

The Tar Heels jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, dominating the Mustangs for their first win of the year. 

What happened?

North Carolina struck fast in Friday night’s season opener, as the familiar foot of junior Alan Winn chipped a close range shot into the back of the net within the first 10 minutes of the match. Winn was the team's runner-up in goals scored a season ago, behind fellow Texas native Tucker Hume. Not to be outdone, Hume added a goal of his own with seven minutes left in the first half. 

Behind a large and loud crowd, the Tar Heels ran away with the game. The first 300 fans in attendance were handed Carolina blue Vuvuzelas, which led to a festive atmosphere inside Fetzer Field. 

Cal Poly got its best two looks at goal in the second half, with a one-on-one shot being tipped just wide of the goal post by UNC keeper James Pyle, and another free kick careening off of the crossbar. That was as close as the Mustangs got to putting pressure on the Tar Heels, who flourished in the season opener with a 3-0 victory. 

Who stood out?

Nils Bruening, a redshirt first-year from Hamburg, Germany, got the start at forward in his first game for the Tar Heels. He didn’t seem to be beset by any first game jitters, however, as he confidently went on the attack and tallied a shot in just the second minute of the game. 

He joined first-years Cam Lindley and Mauricio Pineda in the starting lineup as first timers for North Carolina. Lindley and Pineda are a part of UNC's top-ranked recruiting class. 

Lindley — the No. 1 overall prospect in the Class of 2016 according to College Soccer News — showcased his top-flight footwork, providing some bits of skill that made the crowd go wild. 

Despite all of the new faces, the first half felt familiar for fans of Tar Heel soccer. Winn and Hume picked up where they left off last season, both scoring a goal in the first half.

When was it decided?

After Cal Poly got off to an aggressive offensive start in the second half, UNC killed any momentum that might have been building in the 52nd minute. A soft foul in the box set up a penalty kick for the Tar Heels' David October, and while Mustang goalkeeper Simon Boehme was falling left, October rolled one into the right corner to give North Carolina its third goal of the game. 

Why does it matter?

The Tar Heels bring back five of its top six goal-scorers from 2015 and sport the top recruiting class in the nation. With all of this star power, it was important for UNC to establish balance in its first game. And according to Coach Carlos Samoano, that’s just what the team did on Friday night. 

Finding this balance is key to laying the groundwork for a team favored to win the ACC title this season. 

Where do they play next?

The Tar Heels will be back at Fetzer Field on Sunday, as they will take on Saint Louis at 7:30 p.m. 

@james_tatter

sports@dailytarheel.com

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