Jones' hat trick sends Tar Heels past Terps

Her teammates knew she was good. First-year striker Courtney Jones scored in her very first game as a Tar Heel the season-opener against Charlotte.

But Sunday the North Carolina women's soccer players saw their teammate show off her full potential. Jones now UNC's second-leading scorer for the season scored three goals in the squad's 5-0 demolition of Maryland.

Her achievement would be lessened since junior midfielder Tobin Heath had a hat trick only a few days before against Clemson — except Heath is an Olympic gold medalist not a rookie.

For the Tar Heels' best players such as preseason All-Americas Heath and Yael Averbuch or All-ACC striker Casey Nogueira that kind of production isn't a surprise. It's not an expectation either" but Jones quickly is putting herself in the same category as those established players.

""Courtney has been playing out of her mind" Nogueira said.

This is her potential scoring three goals a game because she's so fast. She's so mobile for us that we can just play her balls in easily" and we can just count on her to score.""

After scoring twice in the first nine minutes" the first-year forward took three more tries to finish off the hat trick.

The first attempt came just after her second goal when Jones ripped a high shot from the right side. Maryland keeper Yewande Balogun made the save over the top of the goal to give UNC a corner kick.

Just after halftime Jones lost a perfect opportunity when a centering pass from Nogueira slipped off Jones' toes from point-blank range.

On the last try only three minutes before she was subbed out in the second half Jones played a perfect one-on-one to round out the hat trick. While running wide open on the right side she got a pass from Jessica McDonald drew the keeper out and pinned the ball low to the bottom right corner.

And if coach Anson Dorrance was asked to point out the best performance on his team Sunday" he'd ""be hard pressed not to pick this freshman" he said after the game.

Everything we've asked her to do she's done and any player that has that attitude is going to keep getting better" Dorrance said.

The newcomer from Danville, Cali., also has a sports pedigree on her side. Her father, Brent Jones, was an NFL tight end who won three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers and went to four Pro Bowls from 1992 to 1995.

This guy's athletic legacy is without question" Dorrance said. And his daughter is tracking him because she's coachable she's hard working she's fearless she's athletic" and what a great game she had today.""

Jones" who wears her father's number 84 said he is a constant source of inspiration.

And while catching passes from Joe Montana and Steve Young doesn't necessarily have much to do with going for headers or hitting the corner with a hard shot" it does mean Courtney Jones gets plenty of sports tips from her father.

""Definitely" Jones said. Constantly. Every single day. He usually tells me ‘I'm not trying to give you dad advice" I'm trying to give you athlete advice.'""

The match was" ironically the first home game her parents had missed all season so Jones had only her coaches and teammates to give her tips at the game Sunday.

Fortunately she shares the field with a few other sports stars — including Heath" who was one of the first to speak to her after the third goal.

""She told me at halftime that I'd already had a great game" Jones said. She just said" ‘Keep going.'""



Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.