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The Daily Tar Heel

Billy Schuler impacts ACC Tournament despite injury

After missing his first start of the season in the opening round of the ACC tournament Tuesday, injured North Carolina forward Billy Schuler clocked only 73 combined minutes during Friday’s semifinal and Sunday’s championship match.

But he made sure those minutes counted.

On Friday, the redshirt junior made an appearance in the second half and won the game for the No. 3 Tar Heels with a golden goal less than two minutes into the first overtime period. And on Sunday, Schuler tallied an assist on an insurance goal by Ben Speas to put the Tar Heels up 3-1 on No. 13 Boston College.

Schuler’s playmaking has been a highlight of the season for UNC. As the team-leading scorer with 14 goals, Schuler has also notched four assists.

Despite his injury — a strained muscle in his left leg — Schuler managed to contribute to the team just as first-year head coach Carlos Somoano had hoped.

“It was pretty much predetermined,” Somoano said of Schuler’s second half entry, 64 minutes into the championship match.

“We had discussed before the game that we would try to keep him down to about 20 to 30 minutes. And it was about the time of the game when we were under a little pressure and could use a little help anyway.”

Schuler, one of five Tar Heels named to the All-ACC Tournament Team, tallied three shots, one goal and one assist during the tournament. And his presence on the field was definitely noted by both his teammates and his opponents.

“I think that when he came on the field, he did the same thing we were trying to do,” midfielder Enzo Martinez said.

“When he comes in, just his presence on the field changes a lot of things. It wasn’t that the people that were there before were doing badly at all, his numbers just speak for (themselves). He comes in, scores the winner on Friday. He comes in, assists a goal to Ben (Speas) when we needed it today.”

Boston College coach Ed Kelly is fully aware of the threat a healthy Schuler poses to opponents. But even an injured one made an impact in the conference tournament.

“They’re a very good program,” Kelly said. “They have good balance on their team. I don’t know what their depth is like, but with that front —Billy (Schuler) and Enzo (Martinez) — they’re special.”

Schuler is expected to accompany his fellow starters for the Tar Heels’ NCAA tournament campaign beginning next week.

“All indications are that if he gets about three or four more days of rest here, then we can put this behind us,” Somoano said.

Contact the Sports Editor

at sports@dailytarheel.com.

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