M. Soccer: Trying to repeat the miracle

North Carolina’s national title game appearance may have been unexpected for some, but the team’s loss still hurt. A lot.

Soon after the Tar Heels’ 1-0 defeat to Maryland, then-junior Eddie Ababio returned to Chapel Hill and did nothing for a week. How could he? It was one of the most painful ordeals he had ever experienced.

Zach Loyd felt similarly. Though even now, he still doesn’t think everyone has completely recovered.

Even the team’s coach, Elmar Bolowich, admitted to a little bit of a void for the season. But as he attests moving forward, the postseason success was a great learning tool for his squad.

“I hope there was enough good examples of what good leadership can do for a team,” he said. “We had enough of that last year. That should set an example for those that the torch is passed onto now. Because in the end, some things you build off of.”

Such words surely apply to the 2008 men’s soccer team. After ending the regular season and ACC tournament with five straight losses — granted, three came against Maryland and Wake Forest — the squad went on a magical run to the NCAA championship match.

And although that team barely fell short of the ultimate goal, with six starters returning and with several heralded newcomers, expectations are quite lofty for this year’s squad.

The team enters the new campaign ranked in the top five in many preseason polls. And though most of the predictions stem from each team’s finish in the rankings last year, the Tar Heels hope a repeat performance is in order.

“We can use it as motivation,” Ababio said. “Being there and not winning it. That’s all the motivation we need. First, we need the experience. And now it’s going to help us a lot.”

Ababio, for one, trained in the area for the summer instead of returning home to Florida as he usually does.

Loyd, now the team’s captain, has become more of a vocal leader. Although it’s a different role than he’s used to, Loyd will be sorely needed to replace two midfield staples — and their voices — in Michael Callahan and Garry Lewis.

Still, it wasn’t just Loyd stepping up as the Tar Heels took a team trip to Costa Rica in June. The squad went for close to 10 days and partook in four matches against Costa Rican pro teams. The Tar Heels won three games and tied one — a positive indicator for this season.

For that to be the case, several players, Ababio and Loyd included, will need to have big years. The team returns four of its top six scorers, five players that tallied 10 or more points and Brooks Haggerty in goal.

Loyd, however, points to two newcomers as possibilities for strong showings this year.

“I think our transfers, Stephen (McCarthy) and Michael Farfan are people others are going to have to watch out for,” Loyd said. “They’re big-time players.”

Ababio believes the pair will fill in right away for the departed Callahan and Lewis, adding that freshman Enzo Martinez could play a big role coming off the bench at forward.

If that’s the case, UNC could very well find itself in Cary, the site of this year’s College Cup — though the team is hoping for a better ending.

“I don’t want to feel (a national title loss) again,” Ababio said.


Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.