DAVIDSON — Before making a trip to Davidson to take on the Wildcats, the No. 2 North Carolina men’s soccer team hadn’t played a game away from Fetzer Field in more than three weeks.
The team’s last road venture was a 3-0 win against Virginia in Charlottesville on Sept. 23 — a match that came at the end of a three-game road trip for the Tar Heels. Before scoring three goals against UVa., UNC had only scored twice away from Fetzer Field.
And Monday, UNC’s offensive struggles on the road surfaced again in the 1-0 loss to Davidson.
The Tar Heels got off only four first-half shots against the Wildcats, and they failed to net a goal for the entire 90-minute regulation.
“It’s not easy playing on the road,” coach Carlos Somoano said. “I think the team’s we’ve played on the road, with the exception of Virginia, are sitting 10 people in front of their goal.”
And that’s exactly how Davidson planned to handle the Tar Heels. Somoano said he understands why teams pack in defenders when the Tar Heels come around, but he sure doesn’t like trying to beat it.
“They’re going to stand in front of their goal, kick the ball out of bounds and cheer when they kick the ball out of bounds,” Somoano said. “In the first three plays of the game, they kicked it out of bounds and their bench erupted like they scored a goal.”
The trip to Alumni Stadium caused an abrupt stop to what had been steadily rising offensive production for UNC. In its five-game homestand, UNC racked up 13 goals — more than twice the number of times they have netted on the road this year.
“We have the luxury of playing at home a lot this year,” Billy Schuler said. “But that cannot be an excuse — winning home games and dropping away games … So we need to figure this out.”
