UNC overthrows Monarchs

North Carolina's 2-2 tie with N.C. State on Wednesday night was so well-played and so dramatic that the rights would have been immediately snatched up by ESPN Classic - that is if men's college soccer was ever actually on TV.

That game featured a host of spectacular plays. That game featured two lead changes in the final 13 minutes of regulation. That game featured perhaps the most unbelievable ending possible in a soccer game.

And that game had about one thing in common with UNC's 2-1 win against Old Dominion on Sunday afternoon at Fetzer Field.

The team's nickname was spelled incorrectly on the back of its jerseys. Apparently it now goes by "Tarheels" - one word.

But it can be said with quite a bit of certainty that if it was up to the No. 2 Tarheels - sorry, Tar Heels - to pick one of the two to watch again, they'd go with the latter every time.

"The game with N.C. State is kind of out of our heads," said junior forward Corey Ashe. "We came out (today) and just wanted to bring the intensity, wanted to put the ball in their court and have them deal with it. And that's what we did.

"It's a great win, it's good to come back and win, especially after a game like N.C. State."

And Ashe not only put the ball in the Monarchs' court, he put it in the back of their net, scoring his team-leading fourth goal of the season - and the eventual game-winner - in the 59th minute.

Fellow junior forward Ben Hunter played a ball across the field from the left corner, and Ashe, who was stationed in front of the net, tapped home the cross to put UNC (5-0-1) ahead, 2-0.

"I figured he would cross it because of the angle he was at," Ashe said. "We've worked on it in practice, and as soon as he cut his guy and took the (end) line - I lost my defender and I just tried to redirect it."

The 22nd-ranked Monarchs (3-1-1), however, responded about three minutes later, scoring off a corner kick just seconds after an observer was overhead remarking, "This is my third game this season and I have yet to see (UNC goalkeeper) Ford Williams give up a goal."

Jinx! But instead of knocking on wood, Williams knocked into it, as he went literally head-to-head with ODU forward Brian Cvilikas for a corner kick that descended just inches from the top right corner of the goal frame.

Cvilikas got his head on it first, though, and Williams simultaneously crashed into and wrapped around the near post while the ball dribbled harmlessly across the goal line.

"The corner came in, the guy challenged the goalie, and somehow the ball went in," said freshman midfielder Brian Shriver. "Weird."

But that was the only goal Williams would allow in the game - he's recorded 13 saves and surrendered just three goals this year.

"He's huge," Ashe said. "It brings a lot of confidence to the whole team and a lot of intensity. He's a great leader, and when he makes big stops the crowd gets involved and all of a sudden you get fired up."

The biggest save of the game didn't belong to the keeper, though - it belonged to junior midfielder Ted Odgers, who luckily was standing on the goal line when an unexpected ODU deflection caught Williams out of position. Odgers somehow managed to react quickly enough to boot the would-be tying goal back toward the center of the field.

That play came in the 71st minute, and the Tar Heels had to endure several more scoring changes by the visitors before it was over. But Ashe's goal, along with a first-half goal by Shriver - the first of his career - proved to be enough of a cushion.

"The performance in the first half of our team was outstanding," said UNC coach Elmar Bolowich. "What we missed was the final touch, the final pass, the final shot in the box that would have put that game away and out of reach for Old Dominion."

They had a two-goal lead midway through the second half, but forgive the Tar Heels if they keep the ending of Wednesday's game - one that was crazier than a Mike Tyson therapy session- in the back of their minds as the season moves on.

Just don't expect them to watch the tape.

 

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.