Tar Heels Survive Scare

But when the North Carolina men's soccer team entered overtime in its game against American on Sunday, the stakes were even higher than the last time it played an opponent to a scoreless draw through 90 minutes.

In that game, the 2000 ACC Tournament final against Virginia in Winston-Salem, UNC scored 13 seconds into the overtime period to take the title.

Against American, the result took a little longer to materialize. But with a possible trip to the final four in the making, Sunday's outcome might prove to be sweeter.

UNC forward Mike Gell scored the golden goal in the 95th minute to propel the Tar Heels past the Eagles, 1-0, in an NCAA Tournament third-round game at Fetzer Field. With the victory, North Carolina advances to a national quarterfinal against Fairleigh Dickinson, a 1-0 winner against Seton Hall on Sunday.

"I think today's game was really a turning point," said UNC defender Danny Jackson. "Today was a lot more of a fight, a scrap. It wasn't a pretty game, but we got the result we needed."

The Tar Heels (18-4) had offensive opportunities throughout the match and outshot the Eagles (13-8-2) 16-5, but they struggled to capitalize against a scrappy American team that tried to pressure North Carolina throughout.

UNC kept the ball in its offensive third for most of the first half and had an early scoring chance, but American goalkeeper Michael Behonick stopped forward Ryan Kneipper's breakaway.

Gell had two chances to break the tie later in the match, including a one-timer in the 36th minute that Behonick deflected with an acrobatic lunging save.

After halftime, the Eagles came out quickly and took more chances offensively, but nearly lost the game on a 71st-minute hand ball in their own box.

A diving Behonick stopped Gell's penalty kick to the lower left corner, and American lived to see overtime.

"A penalty shot is an unusual situation," Behonick said. "You've just got to choose one side and try to read the shooter a little bit."

The game-winner came after David Testo sent a floating ball into the box. Gell gathered it with his back to the goal, spun on Eagle defender Larry McDonald and fired a low, left-footed shot to the near post that beat a falling Behonick.

The goal set up a quarterfinal game between UNC and FDU, a Northeast Conference team that has beaten Boston College, Princeton and Seton Hall in the tourney.

"People call them upsets," said UNC coach Elmar Bolowich. "Sometimes I don't think they're upsets. They're setups."

The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu.