The newly-crowned No. 1 North Carolina men’s soccer team tied against Old Dominion in Norfolk, Va. on Tuesday night.
Both teams had a number of opportunities for overtime winners, but neither could capitalize, and the Tar Heels weren’t able to pull out a victory in their first match with the top ranking.
What happened?
After nearly a half without a score, UNC (9-1-1, 4-0 ACC) junior midfielder Mauricio Pineda capitalized on a ball from junior forward Jelani Pieters to score in the 42nd minute of play. Pieters’ setup was preceded by a well-executed through ball from sophomore forward Giovanni Montesdeoca, and with that, North Carolina grabbed the lead.
The Tar Heels would hold the 1-0 advantage until the 64th minute, when Old Dominion (7-3-2, 4-1 C-USA) scored following a corner kick. The ODU goal came in a mad scramble for the ball after several clearance attempts, enough to ensure the eventual tie.
A pair of 10-minute extra-time periods couldn’t separate the teams, and the score remained deadlocked at one after a raucous 110 minutes of play.
UNC finished with 10 shots (two on goal) to ODU’s nine (three on goal), and was outshot 7-1 on corner kicks. The team also committed eight fouls -- a measly figure compared to the Monarch’s 17, a number that included three yellow cards.
Who stood out?
Senior goalkeeper James Pyle came up with two big saves by the 4th minute to fend off the Monarchs in the early going.
