"He's a vital part in our hopes for the playoffs to go far," said UNC coach Elmar Bolowich. "When he's ready and healthy, he is certainly a vital part of our starting 11."
Two years ago, Testo wasn't even on the team. He spent his freshman and sophomore seasons playing for Mark Berson at South Carolina.
"Mark Berson is a really good recruiter," Testo said. "He persuaded me and my mom, and they've always had such a good program. Soccer-wise was pretty much the only decision I made to go there."
But Testo decided to transfer following his second year, looking for better academics and to be closer to his family. So, he chose UNC.
"It was the best decision of my life," Testo said of his move. "No offense to USC -- I enjoyed it down there -- but everything happens for a reason. I think I came here at the perfect time and made the right decision."
Actually, his timing couldn't have been better.
He scored 11 goals in 25 games last year, none bigger than his tally against Stanford in last year's College Cup semifinals that got UNC started on its 3-2, quadruple-overtime victory against the Cardinal. Testo and the Tar Heels went on to win the national championship with a 2-0 victory against Indiana.
"Last year was the utopia year," Testo said. "I have a great relationship with my coach and my teammates, and that's incredibly important."
What's also important to Testo is his family.
"I do a lot of stuff for my mom," Testo said. "She raised me by herself. A lot of my dedication to what I do is for my mom."
When Testo was 10, his father succumbed to colon cancer, leaving his mother to raise him and his 13-year-old sister.
"It did affect me in a big way," Testo said of his father's death. "It was tough, but it made my relationship with my family so much stronger."
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Although his mom lives in Arden, Testo has two cousins in Chapel Hill, and a lot of aunts and uncles in Winston-Salem, who come to most of his games.
But what everyone has seen of his on-the-field performance, hasn't been what Testo expected from himself.
"With those expectations high and not coming through, it is just devastating to a senior, but to be able to turn it around makes it even more enjoyable," Testo said.
And Testo's been turning things around for most of the season.
In early September, he was arrested on an assault charge following a late-night altercation, which also got him a two-game suspension.
Testo said police proceedings that followed his arrest was surreal experience.
"I couldn't believe it was happening," he said. "It wasn't until I saw it in The Daily Tar Heel, when I opened it and saw my face there, that's when it hit me.
"I just dropped the paper and walked out of class. It wasn't until then it really smacked me in the face."
After a meeting with the victim, however, the two sides reached an agreement, and the charges were dropped.
"At that time I'm not thinking what could eventually happen if we did have to go to court and did have to solve this another way," Testo said. "That was the best result that could have possibly happened."
But before Testo's legal troubles were sorted out, he returned to the team for the Sept. 21 match against Virginia, in which he scored the game-winning goal.
But the following weekend, he severely sprained his ankle in the Tar Heels' 1-0 loss at Duke, and he was out again.
"I really thought there was a voodoo doll on me," Testo said. "I just saw my season ending right there."
He was supposed to miss five to six games, but he returned after two, and hasn't missed a beat since.
"Despite his injury, he's an unbelievable asset to our team," Pause said. "He's one of those players that can change the game on his own."
Although his senior season has seen its share of ups and downs, if the Tar Heels fail to get to Dallas to defend their national title, Testo said the season won't be a disappointment.
"The only way it'd be disappointing is if we don't give it our all every second we're on the field together."
The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu.