Tar Heels Shut Out USC in Season Finale

"My coaches asked me before the game, 'What are you going to do for the game?' I was like, 'Try to score some goals,'" Storey said with a chuckle.

Although he didn't score some goals, he did score one, which proved to be the game winner in Friday's 2-0 win against South Carolina (10-7-1).

In the 38th minute, UNC forward David Testo collected a failed clearing attempt by the Gamecock defense about 35 yards from goal.

He backheeled a pass to Ryan Kneipper, who then slipped a pass through the South Carolina backline to the wide-open Storey. One-on-one against USC goalkeeper Michael Bachmeyer, Storey deposited his shot into the back of the net.

"Really the ball just bounced, and I happened to be in the right place at the right time. I saw the goalie coming out, and I just tried to put it under him."

But before Storey's goal, the first half was full of missed opportunities for both teams.

In the 19th minute, Bachmeyer barely got a finger on a Testo strike from 12 yards out.

Three minutes later, Matt Crawford drilled the crossbar.

Three minutes after that, USC forward Ryan Deter's shot from 6 yards out hit the post.

In the 33rd minute, UNC defender David Stokes cleared a ball off the line that had beaten Williams.

But when Storey's shot hit the back of the net shortly thereafter, UNC coach Elmar Bolowich said the score boosted his team's morale.

"It was against the run of play. At the time, it was like South Carolina hit the post, we had a ball cleared off the line, and boom -- there we go on the other end and stick it in. And I think it shocked South Carolina a little bit, but it also gave us a little bit more confidence."

But in the second half the offensive push for both sides dwindled.

USC played with more urgency to make up the one-goal deficit.

Although it appeared that UNC (13-5-1, 3-2-1 in the ACC) was trying to preserve the lead by attacking less, Bolowich said it was just the opposite.

"We wanted to not protect the lead. We wanted to go for more goals," he said. "We wanted to press South Carolina. It's just like they made it very difficult for us."

Bolowich said he remained uneasy about how the game would end until a USC own goal in the 86th minute sealed the win for the Tar Heels.

With the ACC Tournament beginning Thursday, UNC forward Mike Gell said winning the regular-season finale was huge for the Tar Heels.

"It was unbelievably huge," he said. "Just to get the win, keep that ball rolling, hopefully we won't lose another one."

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