Friday was a night of firsts for the No. 5 North Carolina men’s soccer team.
The first game for seven freshmen, the first chance to try and replace UNC’s top four scorers from a year ago, the first game of the new season, and the first victory of the 2015 campaign.
The Tar Heels defeated Florida International University by a final score of 1-0, the lone goal coming courtesy of senior midfielder Raby George's penalty kick with only a little over eight minutes left in the game.
It was a frustrating night overall for the Tar Heel offense, but a key substitution proved to be the catalyst that allowed UNC to get on the board. Coach Carlos Somoano inserted 6-foot-5 senior forward Tucker Hume as junior forward Nico Melo went to take one of North Carolina’s 10 corner kicks off the evening.
Hume rose above the Panther defenders and managed to head the ball in the direction of freshman forward Andy Lopez, whose shot deflected off the hand of a defender in the box, resulting in an opportunity that George calmly deposited into the bottom left corner.
Notable
Alex Olofson missed this match after receiving a red card in UNC’s loss to UCLA in last season’s NCAA tournament. He will be eligible to return next game.
Redshirt freshman James Pyle started and played the full 90 minutes in goal, recording four saves en route to recording a shutout.
Alex Comsia, a true freshman from North Vancouver, Canada, also played the entire game at center back and controlled the back line with aplomb.
