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(11/25/08 5:00am)
It's the night before the biggest game of the season for the North Carolina men's soccer team. As a steady drizzle falls at Fetzer Field the team scrimmages.The team's focus Monday is evident right from the start — the Tar Heels clearly know their chance to prove themselves is close at hand.Early on freshman Billy Schuler settles a pass outside the 18-yard box and rips a streamer straight at keeper Brooks Haggerty. Fifteen minutes later midfielder Garry Lewis wins a thundering 50-50 tackle.It's a type of intensity the Tar Heels have missed lately. But as the team silently walks off the field" their blank faces show that is no longer a problem.""We have to get our confidence back and go at teams with a sense of urgency" senior Brian Shriver said. We know it" and we're excited. We look forward to this.""Last year" the Tar Heels missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998.Now North Carolina has a chance to make amends not only for that but for a five-game losing streak that ended this season. Since UNC earned a first-round bye its first test comes tonight against Jacksonville in the second round.And make no mistake" the team knows this game's importance.""Coming out and getting a win will show everyone that we hit a rough spot" and now we're back on a roll" Shriver said.With the three most recent losses coming against Wake Forest and Maryland, the top two seeds in the tournament, the team has gained both experience and optimism with its close results. Coach Elmar Bolowich, for one, saw the challenging late-season schedule as a positive. It helped show us that we need to tighten some things up defensively" he said. We need to for example anticipate long balls better. The guys have done a better job in training" so I feel good about us.""As he should. Sophomore Cameron Brown scored two stunning goals against the nation's top two teams to end the season. Shriver is among the nation's leaders in scoring with 13 this season.And most importantly" eight of Bolowich's starters were part of the 2006 NCAA Tournament team.This experience should yield dividends as the team enters tonight's match as the No. 13 overall seed. As a tournament-tested team" the Tar Heels are fully aware that a win is a win.""It's not a matter of proving ourselves right now" it's a matter of surviving and advancing" Bolowich said.To do so, North Carolina will look to reverse its play of late. That means more pressing and contending balls and moving forward quickly.Bolowich hopes the Tar Heels can offset a quick Jacksonville team that likes a fast-paced game full of goals.In their first round game, the Dolphins put four goals on the board — a tally the Tar Heels haven't reached since mid-October.This means that the newly instilled starter Haggerty will have a busy day and that the offensive production must increase dramatically to keep pace.Still, even with all these question marks, Shriver can't help but smile as the Fetzer Field lights slowly turn off, hoping that his season doesn't, too.It's win or go home"" Shriver said. And none of us want to go home.""Contact the Sports Editorat sports@unc.edu.
(11/16/08 5:00am)
North Carolina women's basketball forward Jessica Breland held her position in the post as she yelled for the ball.As the Tar Heel perimeter players swung the ball around the top of the key Breland continued to shuffle her feet until she arrived just outside the lane. She again demanded a pass until the ball came to her hands.Immediately she feinted once to either side and calmly pulled away for a fade-away jumper as a VCU player crashed into her. The ball swished through the net giving North Carolina a 4-1 lead.It was an insignificant play in what would be a 77-65 Tar Heel victory against VCU but with North Carolina now two games into the season it showed something else.The post presence for the Tar Heels might not be such a big problem.That was the biggest preseason question posed to the Tar Heels and rightly so as North Carolina entered the season without recently graduated forwards Erlana Larkins and LaToya Pringle — UNC's starting frontcourt in 2007-08.But in two victories this weekend against Western Carolina and Virginia Commonwealth University Breland Martina Wood" Chay Shegog and Iman McFarland proved they could do a favorable impression of the recently departed Tar Heel greats.""That group is going to get a lot better. They just got to get some experience" coach Sylvia Hatchell said. Last year with Erlana and LaToya we just throw it in there to them all the time. This year we're more balanced" I think. We got a lot of good things to work with.""As point guard Cetera DeGraffenreid dribbles up the court" one frontcourt player almost certainly cut across the lane and posted up her defender. The other served as an outlet passer with the roles alternating throughout the game.On most possessions Tar Heel guards looked for one of these two players almost directly after crossing halfcourt. If the opposition converged after a pass inside the forward instantly kicked out for an open 3-point shot.When WCU or VCU played straight man-to-man defense" each used an array of moves to create space for her own shot. ""We were moving the ball in our motion offense. We were reversing the ball and getting some good looks. At times it's just clicking and flowing"" Hatchell said.Breland was the main benefactor of this system. Friday she accounted for 12 points and on Sunday chipped in for 10 more. In each game, she was able to use a variety of shoulder fakes and pumps to clear room for easy buckets. Additionally, her 6-foot-3-inch height and wingspan allowed for easy ascension over the arms of smaller opponents.Her play left Hatchell impressed and gave hope to the Tar Heels' expectations of continuing their success in the post.It just shows you how much potential we have" senior forward Rashanda McCants said. We work real hard in practice" and coach Hatchell doesn't stop pushing us and letting us know that we're not great yet.""We can't come short of that goal of being a great team. It's exciting to know that we can get a lot better.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(11/03/08 5:00am)
Just more than 18 minutes into the second half a through ball in front of North Carolina's 18-yard-box forced goalkeeper Jacob Wescoe to charge off his line.No Tar Heel defenders were in a position to help with the clearance" leaving Wescoe in a kind of no man's land.""It's not a good feeling when the ball goes by" Wescoe said. You're the last guy back there and when it goes by you I mean" what can you do?""Hard to say. Wescoe was unable to clear the ball" which allowed Demon Deacon forward Cody Arnoux to chip in for a score tying the game.And the barrage was not over.Five minutes later Wake Forest had netted two more goals giving them a lead they would never relinquish.A 4-2 result in WFU's favor would seem odd after witnessing the first 45 minutes; a period in which the Tar Heels could do no wrong. They allowed no shots no corner kicks and most importantly no goals.Double teams were well executed clearances from the back were timely and practically every header or loose ball was gathered by a Tar Heel.But when playing an undefeated — and No. 1 nationally ranked — Wake Forest squad" 45 minutes is not enough.""Wake is very skilled at what they do" they're very dynamic senior defender Ryan Adeleye said. They're a team that finishes their chances. If you're not focused and fall asleep for a couple seconds — well" we got punished for that today.""After putting together their most dominating half of the season" the Tar Heels saw a different Demon Deacon squad take the field to start the second period. Wake Forest's tactics hadn't necessarily changed but their execution finally was done correctly.Mainly WFU began to take advantage of North Carolina's defensive alignment.The Tar Heels play with four defenders in the back. Two out wide Zach Loyd and Jordan Graye and two inside Sheanon Williams and Adeleye. Generally the four line up in a tactical formation called the flat-back-four. The basis of this structure is simple — to catch opposing players in an offside position. It prevents attackers from simply booming the ball over the defense because forwards usually react on judgment calls when the ball is played. Still with all its positives the formation can be countered. The solution: through balls played on the ground from a closer range.It would be the Tar Heels' fatal flaw and when they finally realized their weakness" it was too late.""In the second half" we were a little bit more stretched out. We took a couple chances as far as offsides were concerned. We should have dropped back a little more Adeleye said.Two of Wake Forest's second-half goals occurred on through balls — one directly leading to a score and the other setting up a penalty kick that was then converted.We wanted to keep our lines tight and narrow down the gaps between our defenders coach Elmar Bolowich said. We were just making a few critical errors. We got our stride after a while" but then it was too late.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(10/31/08 4:00am)
For four years North Carolina men's soccer player Brian Shriver played forward. He tallied an array of goals assists and awards ranging from All-State to All-America.Thing was all these achievements occurred at Clearwater High School in Florida.Because when he arrived in Chapel Hill the Sunshine State native moved to the midfielder slot — a position he's held for the past two years.Although Shriver played sparingly at forward during this time" it took until this past offseason for head coach Elmar Bolowich to transition him back to striker.""I wasn't taking my chances" and I never felt like I was playing up to the way I could" Shriver said of his time in the midfield.I feel more comfortable going forward and making runs off the ball. I have a lot more confidence than I did last year because I feel like it's my natural position.""It sure seems like it.With two games left in the regular season"" Shriver leads the ACC in both goals (13) and points (28).Not to mention that four of those goals have been game-winners. Not too shabby for a guy who only accumulated two goals last season.""I've put myself in better opportunities and I've been fortunate to convert" Shriver said. Sometimes you get that feeling where everything is clicking for you. You just have total confidence. You have no worries you just go for it. If you miss you miss" oh well.""Still" both Bolowich and assistant coach Jeff Negalha think there's more than just luck to Shriver's scoring outbreak.For starters he has extreme quickness and can get a touch on a stray ball before most opponents.Secondly when he's not in possession of the ball he moves or makes runs to create space for himself and for teammates. Finally — and most importantly is his ability to shoot the ball. Unlike most soccer players Shriver hits the ball in a unique position between his toe and instep. As Negalha likes to say he's clipping the ball.To do so Shriver gets on the outside of the ball and hits a more finessed shot with his instep. Contrary to power shooting which uses solid contact with the sweet spot of the shoelaces Shriver's unique stroke creates a shot that bends away from the goalkeeper. With Shriver's rapid shot release" he is still able to create the power that traditional kicking creates. ""I mean he can really hit a ball" Negalha said. For a goalkeeper it's pretty dangerous when that ball is coming at you and then all of sudden getting away from you. It takes off" and I mean what are you going to do about it?""With matches remaining against No.1 Wake Forest and No.5 Maryland"" Shriver will be counted on to create shots in what could be two highly contested matches.Not that he seems concerned.""If it's close I always want the ball. To be a forward you have to have that mentality" and for me absolutely I want the ball he said.And his coaches couldn't agree more.He does make that impact Bolowich said. He's an absolutely valuable player for us right now. He's the kind of guy who even late in the game can find that one run to make" that one shot to take that can make a difference.""I don't think (pressure) has an effect on him.""FOLLOW THE GAMETime: 7 p.m. SaturdayLocation: Fetzer FieldInfo: View on Gametracker; www.tarheelblue.comContact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(10/13/08 4:00am)
It's a fall afternoon practice at Finley Fields and the North Carolina men's soccer team is in the midst of an 11 vs. 11 scrimmage.The ball pings around the field until it arrives on the right foot of sophomore Cameron Brown 30 yards from goal.As he pushes forward senior Brian Shriver overlaps Brown heading on a direct course towards the near post. Shriver is wide-open and appears to be in a golden position for a scoring opportunity.But Brown doesn't give the slightest glance his eyes solely focused on the three defenders converging on him.The first to arrive classmate Dustin McCarty stretches out his foot to poke the ball away.Swoosh.The ball is gone. In the swiftest of motions" Brown effortlessly reached over the ball and backheeled it into space for a Shriver shot.""He's a guy who has some of the best skill in the country" captain Michael Callahan said.He's got that something different" that something you don't see in many players.""It was just that ""something"" that got Brown to North Carolina in the first place.Though Tar Heel head coach Elmar Bolowich and assistant Jeff Negalha had seen him play on several occasions" a particular tournament in Texas the Dallas Cup" left a lasting impression.""A player of his quality at his young age was able to do things on and off the ball that really attracted the eye" Negalha said. He had the ability to take guys on his moves on the ball" and just his ability to connect and combine with his teammates. It just made you say ‘wow.'""He arrived at North Carolina in the summer of 2007 as the No. 1 incoming midfielder by Student Sports Magazine and a top-10 player by ESPN The Magazine. Problem was" he also was recovering from an ACL tear 11 months prior.And though his skill was back Brown said his fitness level had suffered immensely.Bolowich could use him only sparingly in game play" so Brown spent most of his time on the bench.""I was looking for the grind in him" Bolowich said. Could he sustain" could he be in the game for the duration that we play in?""Gradually" Brown's stamina returned and when he did see time he was sure to make the most of it.When the Tar Heels took to the field against Old Dominion his first year it was Brown who scored the team's first goal of the season.He took a low cross from Bill Dworsky and cut past the ODU defender. As he raced forward the goalkeeper charged. Instead of hitting it Brown again opted to cut the ball from his right to his left foot.A packed stadium looked on anticipating a chip over the keeper but Brown — to the incredulity of the fans and the goalie — feinted once more and dragged the ball back to his right.As he lightly tapped it in" the Old Dominion goalie lay helplessly a full five yards away.""You just never have any idea which way he's going with the ball or what he's going to do" Callahan said. Cutting the keeper like that one more time" wow.""The goal sparked a massive ruckus"" as Brown led a gleeful group of Tar Heels down the sideline in front of the student section.The whole time his jersey was raised upwards as Brown kissed and pointed to the blue-stitched ""Carolina"" across his chest.""When I score I show everybody where I go to school" Brown said. I'm proud to be here" and I'm proud to represent my school.""He's also proud to show fans the free-spirited play for which he's known. He watches video of his favorite players constantly and mimics his own habits and play after their legendary styles.""I like to say" ‘Hey" did you see that move?'"" Brown said of the tricks of Ronaldhino"" Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. ""Well if you didn't" here" I'll show you one in the match.""People say" ‘You'll never actually do that in a game' so I like to actually do it and show people that I'm not afraid" that I have confidence doing those things.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(09/24/08 4:00am)
Sheanon Williams stood on the endline his No. 20 North Carolina soccer jersey pulled up just under his nostrils.Two times in a row the first-year center back had missed golden opportunities with only 11 minutes to play in regulation.But as Williams vented his frustration the ball again came angling toward him.As Elon's keeper Kyle Boerner charged forward Williams gathered the loose ball five yards off the endline. Immediately he turned and fired" albeit so gingerly it barely crossed the goal line.""Anything you can get on the ball" just hit it in" Williams said laughingly.Still, it was enough, and the Tar Heels escaped with a 2-1 victory against Elon on Wednesday, avenging Friday's 4-1 loss to Boston College.The two sides started slowly, with each looking for its own footing.But with just less than 20 minutes remaining in the first half, the pace changed when senior Brian Shriver played a through ball to Billy Schuler.The first-year forward controlled the pass and, with the slightest touch, blew by two Phoenix defenders. His shot from just inside the 18-yard box forced a bobble from Boerner, but the Elon keeper was eventually able to cover the loose ball.We got our opportunities" UNC coach Elmar Bolowich said. We got behind them" we did just what we wanted to do.""Did they ever.Eleven shots in the first half" 11 in the second.But the shots didn't amount to anything until Shriver capitalized on a 10-yard diagonal pass from first-year Kirk Urso with just more than 10 minutes remaining in the first.Shriver calmly settled and fired at the far post" just inside the left side netting.""I had quite a good look"" he said. When I hit the shot it went right where I wanted it to go. I knew it was in.""Six minutes later Elon knotted the score" and for 40 minutes the game remained that way until Williams' duffer edged the Tar Heels in front.But soon after Williams' eventual game-winner tensions heightened on the field.So much so in fact that the teams garnered five yellow cards between them.With less than five minutes remaining and Elon pushing forward for the equalizer a low-served cross into the box left a Phoenix attacker sprawled on the ground.Without hesitation the referee pointed his right arm to the penalty spot.Several Tar Heel defenders protested no more so than goalkeeper Jacob Wescoe.And though he blocked the penalty attempt seconds later" Wescoe and several of his teammates' continual badgering only brought bookings.""We got in quite a few scuffles" Shriver said.But at the end of the day" we were just protecting each other.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(09/22/08 4:00am)
The North Carolina men's soccer team learned firsthand this weekend that the ball doesn't always bounce in its favor.Following a 4-1 beatdown of Liberty last Tuesday the squad headed to Boston College on Friday with an undefeated record.Again UNC's game ended in a 4-1 decision. But this time the Tar Heels (5-1-1 1-1 ACC) were the ones humbled in a lopsided loss. Junior Eddie Ababio prevented a scoreless effort netting the team's lone goal on a collective nine shots.But one defeat doesn't define or damper a season" as coach Elmar Bolowich well knows.""Sometimes you have games where the other team shoots and whatever they shoot goes in"" he said.It was just one of those nights where everything seemed to work for them and nothing seemed to work for us.""Bolowich did note several facets of the game he would like changed.For one" the fact that for the second conference game in a row the Tar Heels faced a 1-0 deficit at the half. And further both opponents' first goals came with less than 10 minutes remaining in the half. Though formations and defensive alignments can be mixed and changed to accommodate the opposition" these recurring morale killers could be a cause for concern for a team looking to compete for the conference title this year.""You have to establish yourself in a game" and you cannot be outworked by your opponent" Bolowich said. We need to start taking the initiative and battling for dominance.""With four home games coming up on the schedule" the Tar Heels will have plenty of chances to work on faster starts. Bolowich said the team will use practices to fine-tune those loose ends.One of the main focuses will be playing better defense. Lately UNC has allowed opposing teams too much space to operate within Bolowich said. Instead of being ready to anticipate" he thinks the team is constantly in reaction mode.""I would like to see more aggressiveness from our team"" Bolowich said. These are things that we have to reiterate.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(09/15/08 4:00am)
Cameron Brown's No. 15 North Carolina soccer jersey was tarnished with grass stains and it wasn't because he hadn't washed his uniform recently.Rather it was because he along with virtually all his teammates had spent much of the Tar Heels' game against N.C. State on his back.The name of the game is physicality in ACC soccer and Friday night the Wolfpack brought just that.In fact" they brought 14 fouls and three yellow cards worth. ""Every player wants to fight for their starting spot"" Brown said after the game. Every player is going to want to put that effort out and not let you walk right by them. We learned to accept it because it was going to happen and keep happening.""From the opening whistle" those words told the story of the game. Repeatedly during the first half N.C. State defenders and midfielders were going to the ground with slide tackles against the Tar Heels. And at the 34-minute mark in the first half things started getting dicey. At that point N.C. State's Alan Sanchez was whistled for a foul in his team's attacking third of the field. Sanchez picked up the ball and threw it straight into the air — the second time he had done so during the game.His antics brought a yellow card and enormous boos from the crowd but they also did something else. They turned a methodical controlled game back into the fiery rivalry usually displayed in UNC-N.C. State matches — last year the two teams recorded a combine 32 fouls in one game.Each team's adrenaline stepped up a notch and three minutes later North Carolina first-year John Niyonsaba in his first game action saw the yellow.A loose ball popped up near the midfield stripe and Niyonsaba and N.C. State's Lucas Carpenter crashed together the cleats of each player ramming into the other's hamstring.As the second half got under way and with N.C. State then nursing a 1-0 lead the Wolfpack switched to an even more conservative 4-5-1 holding back more midfielders than usual. The approach left eight or nine men behind the ball at times" but Tar Heel attackers still were finding creases through the defense.The problem was that a beaten Wolfpack defense would forcefully drag Tar Heels down by the jersey or arm. ""They had to foul a couple times"" coach Elmar Bolowich commented after the game. Because otherwise it would have been a breakaway for us.""But the Tar Heels stayed focused. And although two more yellow cards were administered to the Wolfpack (and one to UNC's Zach Loyd) before the game ended"" UNC's overall calmness provided immense dividends in its victory. ""I'm very proud of the guys that they stayed the course"" said Bolowich after the game. They didn't lose their temper; they didn't retaliate. We just moved on in the game.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(09/02/08 4:00am)
Maybe it was the weather-delayed start. Maybe it was the white jersey tops instead of the usual Carolina blue.Maybe it was the lack of a band and a raucous student section. Because whatever the North Carolina men's soccer team had in its 3-0 victory against Florida International it took 96 minutes to find against Virginia Commonwealth (0-2) on Sunday. And make no mistake - it definitely was something. As play got under way in a frenzied adrenaline-pumped atmosphere Friday night the Tar Heels (2-0) went straight to an attacking style that was absent for much of 2007. The ball seemed to dart across and around the pitch with the Tar Heel midfield constantly switching the field to build the attack from the wings" creating chances in abundance. ""We wanted to come out with a punch Friday night"" senior midfielder Garry Lewis said.We wanted to attack and bring it to them. It was about being direct and pressuring. The best way to do that is by constantly attacking.""Junior Eddie Ababio and sophomore Cameron Brown did just that. Their on-the-ball skills were precise and glamorous" with each of them cleverly using behind-the-back flicks shoulder feints and quickness to win individual battles. The night left the Golden Panthers (0-2) in disarray and the Tar Heel faithful in the stands. Minutes after Ababio scored the final goal with 8:08 left in the second half he led a long procession of Tar Heels in a gleeful sprint toward and into the stands.It looked like Sunday was going to be a breeze after such a performance.Wrong.On a water-logged Fetzer Field the Tar Heels came out flat-footed sloppy and indecisive. Coach Elmar Bolowich's new offense was nowhere to be found.Passes were played behind or over the head of Tar Heel teammates.Mistimed chest traps led to balls scampering away from player's feet. Crosses sailed over the near post nowhere near their designated targets.When halftime rolled around the 11 starters left the field resembled a funeral march. In fact only two starters uttered any words at all.And things didn't get easier. The next 45 minutes brought much of the same.Like normally reliable scorers missing chances they usually bury.Like two yellow cards for badly timed tackles.Like forwards standing behind an opposing defender in an offside position killing attack after attack.However even with all these struggles the Tar Heels kept coming. They kept to their controlled style and continued looking for through balls to streaking midfielders in hopes of creating a goal.And when senior captain Michael Callahan scored six minutes into overtime they kept to their celebratory style of charging the stands.After a weekend of such black-and-white performances" Lewis had a one-word summary for the team's performance this weekend:""Persistence.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(04/14/08 4:00am)
The ball gracefully flew through the air. It wasn't hit hard. It wasn't placed perfectly. It seemed North Carolina men's tennis player Stefan Hardy might get it - that he might hit an improbable, retreating return from his back right position.
But as he sprinted back, the ball dropped teasingly beyond his outstretched arms.
The point was lost, and North Carolina's No. 2 doubles pairing of Hardy and Clay Donato then faced a daunting predicament.
Down five games to two against Clemson on Sunday, the two would have to win six games without losing more than one for victory. It appeared they wouldn't - couldn't - make up such ground. But sure enough, they did.
That series of events was indicative of the weekend's play as UNC started out slow before blowing out Georgia Tech and Clemson, 6-1 and 7-0, respectively.
"Hardy said to me, 'Forget the first seven games. Let's do what we do best, and let's start it right now,'" Donato said of the duo's comeback against the Tigers.
"That's what we did, and that's when the match turned around."
UNC coach Sam Paul praised the performance of the No. 11 Tar Heels (19-4, 9-1 ACC) this weekend at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center.
"Every match is tough," Paul said. "That's a congratulations to my team to go 9-1 in this league."
On Friday the team quickly dismantled the visiting Yellow Jackets in doubles. However, as singles got under way, everything changed.
There wasn't an exact moment. There wasn't an exact point. But the momentum swung in favor Ga. Tech. Four Tar Heels dropped the opening sets of their singles matches. Though ACC play is almost always competitive, Ga. Tech's 3-6 conference record made it surprising how competitive that match became.
But using a crushing forehand and inspired net play, the always-dependable Donato took care of Georgia Tech's Ryan Smith, 6-3, 6-3. The win was a pivotal moment, rallying the Tar Heels to a 6-1 overall victory.
"The coaches were telling me to pump up the rest of the guys," Donato said, "let them feed off my play, so that's what I was trying to do."
The weekend's second match was supposed to be an easy one, against a team 1-9 in the ACC. But Clemson was inspired. Its head coach of 33 years, Chuck Kriese, would be leading the team in his final regular-season match ever. He would be retiring as the ACC's all-time winningest coach, and the Tigers wanted to give him one more before their parting.
This possibility seemed imminent for 40 minutes Sunday as the Tigers built leads of 5-2 in two doubles matches. But the Tar Heels were not to be denied, winning one of these. That coupled with Chris Kearney's and Taylor Fogleman's win at No. 1 doubles gave UNC the doubles point.
"We came out really slow and were pretty fortunate to win," Fogleman said. "However, we were trying to stay positive and get a little more energetic to help out the team."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(02/27/08 5:00am)
North Carolina senior David Stone stood center court unnerved. He toed the line, serving to secure the doubles point against Auburn. It was a precarious situation for the soft-spoken senior, yet one that Stone seemingly relished. He wound up and arched a shot into the back left corner, pushing the Tigers' Lukas Marsoun into a backhanded return. The return, however, never came - Marsoun slapped his shot into the net. "I've been playing college tennis for four years so you kind of get used to (those situations)," Stone said. "However, I love it coming down to the end of the match because we refuse to give up and we refuse to give in." That determined mindset has carried strongly throughout the squad as the No. 8 North Carolina (8-3) men's tennis team has won four straight against top-35 opponents. The Tar Heels' most recent triumph came Tuesday in a 4-0 victory against No. 35 Auburn. As with two of its three previous matches, UNC secured the doubles point right away. The senior pairing of Lenny Gullan and Stone won a highly contested 8-6 match, while sophomores Clay Donato and Chris Kearney secured the point by defeating their opponents in the same fashion. "You like (intense matches) like that," UNC head coach Sam Paul said. "They're just part of the business. They're why you come to work every day." In singles play, the team won all three matches as Kearney and Donato paced the team individually, each winning in straight sets. The ever-steady Kearney brought home victory with his customary strong serve. After winning the first set, 6-4, he earned a 5-4 game advantage in the second. As with Stone before, Kearney was serving for the win. And not to be outdone by his teammate, Kearney forced a Tiger error to secure the win. The story of the day in singles, however, belonged to the methodical Donato as he won 6-2, 6-1. Donato continually overpowered and outsmarted Auburn's Marsoun with timely forehands to the opposite court and tricky drop shots at the net. As the match ended, Marsoun slammed his racquet against the wall, a summation of frustration over the helplessness he continually experienced throughout the match. "I just came out making a lot of first serves and making a lot of returns," Donato said. "He was hitting the ball real short, so I was coming up and taking it early and getting to the net as much as possible. I controlled the pace of the match doing that." The match was win 245 for Paul, moving him into third place on North Carolina's all-time list. In the process, he passed his predecessor, Allen Morris. "I'm very humbled and very fortunate to be at North Carolina," Paul said. "It's been a heck of a lot of fun." Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(02/26/08 5:00am)
North Carolina senior David Stone stood center court unnerved.He toed the line serving to secure the doubles point against Auburn. It was a precarious situation for the soft-spoken senior yet one that Stone seemingly relished. He wound up and arched a shot into the back left corner pushing the Tigers' Lukas Marsoun into a backhanded return.The return however" never came - Marsoun slapped his shot into the net.""I've been playing college tennis for four years so you kind of get used to (those situations)" Stone said.However" I love it coming down to the end of the match because we refuse to give up and we refuse to give in.""That determined mindset has carried strongly throughout the squad as the No. 8 North Carolina (8-3) men's tennis team has won four straight against top-35 opponents. The Tar Heels' most recent triumph came Tuesday in a 4-0 victory against No. 35 Auburn.As with two of its three previous matches" UNC secured the doubles point right away. The senior pairing of Lenny Gullan and Stone won a highly contested 8-6 match" while sophomores Clay Donato and Chris Kearney secured the point by defeating their opponents in the same fashion.""You like (intense matches) like that"" UNC head coach Sam Paul said. They're just part of the business. They're why you come to work every day.""In singles play" the team won all three matches as Kearney and Donato paced the team individually each winning in straight sets. The ever-steady Kearney brought home victory with his customary strong serve. After winning the first set 6-4 he earned a 5-4 game advantage in the second.As with Stone before Kearney was serving for the win. And not to be outdone by his teammate Kearney forced a Tiger error to secure the win.The story of the day in singles however belonged to the methodical Donato as he won 6-2 6-1.Donato continually overpowered and outsmarted Auburn's Marsoun with timely forehands to the opposite court and tricky drop shots at the net. As the match ended Marsoun slammed his racquet against the wall" a summation of frustration over the helplessness he continually experienced throughout the match.""I just came out making a lot of first serves and making a lot of returns" Donato said.He was hitting the ball real short" so I was coming up and taking it early and getting to the net as much as possible. I controlled the pace of the match doing that.""The match was win 245 for Paul" moving him into third place on North Carolina's all-time list. In the process he passed his predecessor" Allen Morris.""I'm very humbled and very fortunate to be at North Carolina"" Paul said.It's been a heck of a lot of fun.""Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(02/04/08 5:00am)
After a two-day layoff the North Carolina men's tennis team got back into action this weekend with a doubleheader against UNC-Charlotte and James Madison on Friday and concluded it with an afternoon affair against Rice on Sunday.The No. 10 Tar Heels (4-1) started strong posting victories of 6-1 and 7-0 against UNC-Charlotte and James Madison. The weekend ended on a sour note however as the team fell to Rice" 4-3.""We knew they had a good team" UNC coach Sam Paul said. They did beat N.C. State on Friday" but we got to get better. We're not clicking on all cylinders right now.""In the match against Charlotte" the team swept the doubles contests with relative ease and the singles matches fell in much the same suit until sophomore Andrew Crone lost in a third-set tiebreaker.Crone redeemed himself later pairing with sophomore Stefan Hardy in a 8-2 doubles victory and again on his own winning 6-1 6-1 against JMU's Carlin Campbell.During the sixth game of their doubles contest Hardy provided a highlight-reel shot of the weekend returning a slam with his backhand to within inches of the left baseline for a point bringing awe to Crone's face and the crowd to its feet.The No. 3 doubles pairing in the nation sophomore Chris Kearney and junior Taylor Fogleman solidified their preseason ranking with their play Friday. Although the two have only played together sparingly no amount of chemistry concerns could prevent the two from securing victories in both their matches.Throughout the day the two complemented each other in an impressive fashion.Fogleman consistently used effective placement and timely charges to the net to secure vital points while Kearney played the drop shot to perfection to offset any opponent net charges. However in their doubles match Sunday" precision and power couldn't save the two from defeat. The tandem forced a tiebreaker but were unable to sustain their momentum and eventually lost.""I didn't think I returned well"" Kearney said. I need to go back to the practice courts and work harder and get more consistent.""The rest of the matches against Rice that day followed in much the same manner with only Fogleman and senior David Stone securing victories in singles play.Although the team lost"" both Hardy and Kearney took their top-45 singles opponents to decisive third sets before falling.""I should've won" and I kind of regret the last game I played Hardy said. It was kind of sloppy" and the energy wasn't there."" Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(01/30/08 5:00am)
With high expectations temporarily derailed at the Duke Indoor Invitational, the North Carolina men's tennis team (2-0) took to the court for a doubleheader Tuesday against Campbell and N.C. Central.
The Tar Heels were stellar in both, winning each in a resounding 7-0 fashion.
"It was good to see where some guys are, some things we've been working on," UNC coach Sam Paul said. "It's just a good way to get started again."
(11/19/07 5:00am)
At a meet filled with broken records and NCAA qualifying times, the men's and women's swimming teams swam to third and first place finishes, respectively, at the Janis Hape Dowd Nike Cup Invitational.
During the three-day event that started Thursday, the Tar Heels faced notable competition at the top from Clemson and Virginia Tech.
And the women's swimming and diving squads came out with a bang, compiling 1057 points in their meet and defeating their closest competitor, Virginia Tech, by more than 120 points.
This well-rounded performance by the Tar Heels can be linked in part to first-place finishes from senior Kelsey Morrissy and sophomore Alison Clemens.
"Overall, for the women, this is the best meet of the year," head coach Rich DeSelm said. "We've gelled as a team here this week, gained confidence, and we're working together extremely well."
But in a meet dominated by extraordinary individual performances, junior Whitney Sprague shined brightest. In the span of three days, the Bronxville, N.Y., native broke three school records in the freestyle events.
Her busy week started Thursday night in the 500-yard freestyle, as she set a new school record of 4:41.09. The following night, Sprague proceeded to take home first in the 200-yard freestyle. Her best, however, was yet to come
Saturday night, in front of a packed Koury Natatorium, Sprague set a new school and ACC record in the 1000- and 1650-yard freestyles, with the latter coming in an astonishing 15:51.02.
In the 1650, the first event of the night, the entire crowd rose to its feet in anticipation of the impending record. With the help of both teammates and coaches encouraging her on, Sprague not only qualified for the NCAA Tournament, but also defeated her closest competitor by 45 seconds.
"Whitney is extremely talented, and she's got a real competitive spirit," DeSelm said. "She can turn it on when she decides she wants to. She has that rare ability in athletics to get focused and use her talent to get into a zone."
On the men's side, freshman Joe Kinderwater posted an impressive victory in the 1650-yard freestyle in a personal best time of 15:09.19, defeating the field by more than 17 seconds.
In the 200-yard backstroke, sophomore Jeff James took first in a time of 1:46.92, and Yi-Khy Saw brought the Tar Heels another victory in the 400-yard individual medley. Capping off the first place finishes was senior diver Ryan Funderburk, a winner in the three-meter dive.
Overall, the men compiled 716 points for the meet, a performance DeSelm was pleased with.
"I think we achieved our goals for the weekend," he said. "The men have a great spirit and enthusiasm. We're going to be very competitive going forward."
The Tar Heels will not swim a dual meet again until Jan. 12 when they host Clemson and Rutgers.
For DeSelm, this nearly eight-week break will give the team a chance to work on specific parts of races and to fix any kinks in the training system.
"Each person has a few individual things they're trying to address, they know what they are and are just trying to make progress - individual and team progress," DeSelm said.
"It's all in preparation for the upcoming championship season."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu
(11/15/07 5:00am)
For the men's and women's swimming and diving teams, consistency has become the unofficial code by which the team has begun to live. After early season losses in two dual meets to Georgia and Minnesota, respectively, the teams changed their fortunes last Saturday with commanding victories against Duke.
"We went over there with a lot of confidence. Not to slight Duke, but it was good to go over there and take control of a competition. We were able to practice rehearsing being the best team in the facility and that's something we need to do more of," head coach Rich DeSelm said.
The North Carolina-Duke meet last weekend at the Taishoff Aquatic Center was a showcase for several women swimmers hoping to make a splash on the national stage later this year.
Senior Kelsey Morrissy posted two individual wins in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races while also swimming on two winning relays. Senior Lindsey Marck secured victory in both butterfly events, and junior Whitney Sprague rounded out the impressive day with victories in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle races.
Although the women came through in resounding fashion, the men's squad also served notice that it will a force to be reckoned with the rest of the season. Leading the charge at the Duke meet were freshman swimmer Tyler Harris and senior diver Ryan Funderburk. Harris took home wins in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke along with the 200-yard individual medley. In the diving events, Funderburk took home first in both the 1 and 3-meter dives.
"The work ethic on the team has been outstanding. On any given day there's always someone ready to go and ready to race," DeSelm said. "Kelsey Morrissy is performing at a really high level and Tyler Harris is pushing some of his best times from his senior year (of high school) already."
Starting today through Saturday, the men's and women's teams will partake in the Janis Hape Dowd Nike Cup Invitational held at Koury Natatorium. A premier event on both team's schedule, the competition this year will be as highly contested as ever. With Kentucky, Virginia Tech, Clemson, and Yale all making the trip - along with others - a team victory is anything but a given.
For DeSelm, this simply means that certain individuals will have to find a way to compete effectively at a championship-like meet early in the year.
"I'd love to be in the hunt to win the team titles. The most important thing is that we stand up, race tough, support one another, and use it as a rehearsal for bigger competitions at the end of the season," DeSelm said.
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu
(11/12/07 5:00am)
There are some moments that money can't buy. For Jesse Gey, this weekend was her MasterCard moment.
After being carted off the field during last weekend's ACC Championship, Gey returned Saturday to lead UNC to two wins in the NCAA Field Hockey Tournament.
"Jesse is an incredible talent and she's also one of the fiercest competitors that I've coached," coach Karen Shelton said. "For her to go through what she did last weekend and then get out there as if nothing happened, it just speaks to the kind of player she is and the kind of competitor she is."
During last weekend's ACC Championship game against Wake Forest, Gey was positioned incorrectly on a possession. One of the opposing players hit the ball and her follow-through hit Gey in the mouth. The blow landed Gey in a Boston hospital with two teeth displaced and another chipped. Stitches also were needed for both her gums and the roof of her mouth.
With a new molded mouthguard intact to protect her teeth, Gey returned Saturday for the Tar Heels first-round game against Stanford. Her presence was immediately felt when she contributed a goal in a 4-0 victory for UNC.
"It was really nice to get back in the rhythm of scoring a goal," Gey said. "It's always nice to know you're contributing."
In 2004 when Gey was a freshman, UNC was ranked No. 1 in the nation. Just like this year the Tar Heels were hosting the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament and had made it to the second game where they faced Duke. A gut-wrenching 2-1 loss ended that season.
This week, for inspiration to return from her injury, Gey looked to that game as motivation for producing a positive result during this year's NCAA Tournament.
"Being a senior you really feel like you have a position to control it. This is my last chance," she said.
And Gey played an instrumental role in the multitude of scoring opportunities the Tar Heels had this weekend. As the inserter for penalty corners, she started off the 19 that UNC attempted, constantly putting Stanford and James Madison under pressure.
Although Gey lost two teeth against Wake Forest, she didn't lose her reckless abandon. Throughout both the Stanford and James Madison games, Gey could be seen disrupting pass after pass with her continuous hustle.
This inspirational play was not lost on her teammates.
"Talk about courage. I think that just sums her up in one word," senior Rachel Dawson said.
"To come back from the injury that she had last weekend, it's remarkable.
"I said to her, 'You set the standard of what this team has to live up to. You have that courage so we should have the courage to do anything.'"
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu
(10/29/07 4:00am)
Koury Natatorium was buzzing Friday evening for the Tar Heel Invitational, the first home swimming and diving meet of the season. The meet, put on annually by the North Carolina Aquatic Club for more than two decades, returned this year after a one-year hiatus.
Although UNC was the only college squad participating in the event, the competitive atmosphere is just what head coach Rich DeSelm was looking for.
"I wanted everyone to swim two times," he said. "I wanted everyone to stand up and race and get more experience."
The Tar Heels swept all five events at the meet. On the men's side, the team was led by wins from freshman Tyler Harris in the 400-yard individual medley with a time of 3:53.36 and in the 1650-yard freestyle with a time of 15:41.35.
Harris dominated the 400-yard IM race, defeating his closest competitor by more than nine seconds.
But the 1650-yard freestyle was another story. In a highly contested race, Harris narrowly defeated fellow freshman Joe Kinderwater. Harris out touched his teammate by just less than a second in the mile-long race.
"The team looked good, really good," DeSelm said. "Tyler had two wins and was near his best times in each event."
For the women, junior Whitney Sprague and sophomore Alison Clemens both put in good showings. Clemens won the 400-yard IM in a career best time of 4:19.02. In the 1650-yard freestyle, Sprague won easily, clocking in at 16:30.98.
The UNC relay teams also had a good showing as the men won the 200-yard freestyle relay and the 200-yard medley relay, and the women also cruised to two first-place finishes.
While the athletes did their thing, the coaches got into the fun as well out on the deck. As races go on, it's common for coaches to whistle on the side of the pool to encourage their swimmers.
Some coaches use hand motions to tell the swimmers to use their arms or feet more during the race. Although most swimmers don't look at them while the race is going on, it's done just in case.
"One or two in 10 swimmers actually look at us and try to look for some sort of reinforcement," DeSelm said. "In reality, it's actually just a bunch of coaches looking funny out there."
After an impressive performance this weekend, the teams look to continue their success Friday in a dual meet at the University of Minnesota.
With national rankings of No. 11 and No. 16 in hand for the women's and men's teams, respectively, the squads look to move up and keep progressing for the rest of the season.
"It's better than 12th and 17th," DeSelm said. "It's nice to have that validation of what we're doing here. But we gotta earn everything we're gonna get."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(10/25/07 4:00am)
After Saturday's resounding win against No. 2 ranked Maryland, the women's field hockey team now sets its sights on a battle with Old Dominion this weekend.
Although the ACC Tournament looms five days later, the Tar Heels are well aware not to overlook a highly skilled Monarch squad.
"Last time we played Old Dominion, their goalie (Kelly Driscoll) played great, so we've worked on trying to get the ball past her," coach Karen Shelton said.
In preparation for the hectic weeks ahead, the field hockey team has buckled down in practice.
"It's a matter of fine-tuning, but we can get better," Shelton said. "That's gotta be our sole focus: to just improve with every day and with every game."
Lately, Shelton has reiterated the fundamental skills of trapping, passing, hitting, stopping and shooting. One such technique used to boost the team's passing skills is a game called "Two-Touch." It involves players hitting the ball, receiving it and hitting it once more. It's used to boost passing techniques while letting the players have some fun.
With the season winding down, the field hockey team begins the postseason on Nov. 2 in the ACC Tournament. Although first-round matchups begin the day before, the Tar Heels have received a bye based on their first place finish in the regular season.
After being eliminated in the semifinals in last year's tournament, the team looks to make amends.
"Last year's tournament we hadn't made a statement, and we were kind of the fighting underdog," senior Alli Tanner said. "This year we're enforcing our game on the teams in the ACC."
But with the top three teams in the nation competing in this year's tournament, the team knows that winning is not a foregone conclusion.
"Nothing's a given," Shelton said. You know you're in for a dog-fight."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(10/24/07 4:00am)
After Saturday's resounding win against No. 2 ranked Maryland, the women's field hockey team now sets its sights on a battle with Old Dominion this weekend.
Although the ACC Tournament looms five days later, the Tar Heels are well aware not to overlook a highly skilled Monarch squad.
"Last time we played Old Dominion, their goalie (Kelly Driscoll) played great, so we've worked on trying to get the ball past her," coach Karen Shelton said.
In preparation for the hectic weeks ahead, the field hockey team has buckled down in practice.
"It's a matter of fine-tuning, but we can get better," Shelton said. "That's gotta be our sole focus: to just improve with every day and with every game."
Lately, Shelton has reiterated the fundamental skills of trapping, passing, hitting, stopping and shooting. One such technique used to boost the team's passing skills is a game called "Two-Touch." It involves players hitting the ball, receiving it and hitting it once more. It's used to boost passing techniques while letting the players have some fun.
With the season winding down, the field hockey team begins the postseason on Nov. 2 in the ACC Tournament. Although first-round matchups begin the day before, the Tar Heels have received a bye based on their first place finish in the regular season.
After being eliminated in the semifinals in last year's tournament, the team looks to make amends.
"Last year's tournament we hadn't made a statement, and we were kind of the fighting underdog," senior Alli Tanner said. "This year we're enforcing our game on the teams in the ACC."
But with the top three teams in the nation competing in this year's tournament, the team knows that winning is not a foregone conclusion.
"Nothing's a given," Shelton said. You know you're in for a dog-fight."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.