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(08/29/07 4:00am)
North Carolina coach Butch Davis named the captains for UNC's first game before the football team's practice on Tuesday.
Sophomore wide receiver Hakeem Nicks and senior center Scott Lenahan were named the offensive captains. Junior Trimane Goddard and senior Hilee Taylor are the defensive captains, and Connor Barth and Garrett White will lead the special teams.
(08/27/07 4:00am)
Optimism is a tricky thing in sports.
Oftentimes one thinks that it's present when it's really not. Sometimes, players can seem optimistic when really they're just excited to repeat one of the coach's mantras. At other times, a coach can mistakenly promote misguided optimism.
Either way, false optimism has real trouble lasting much past the season opener. After that it turns into desperate grasping for straws.
This year's UNC football team has, for the moment, all the signs of a truly optimistic team. In talking to the players and coach Butch Davis, they all seem to really believe that they will have a winning season. Or maybe just that they want to have one really, really badly.
That kind of optimism and hope is contagious. Davis' charisma has a way of sweeping people along with him; it's obviously done that to his team. That's a good thing.
The Tar Heels seem to have gained an unshakable faith in their coach in a very short amount of time, which is also good news for the program.
Ideas and desire are all great, but forgive me, North Carolina, if I play the devil's advocate and point out that the odds are against you.
First, people tend to forget that 100 percent of UNC's returning players were also part of last year's 3-9 farce of a season. And while Davis' staff is loaded with NFL experience, precious few of the players have shown NFL potential.
People want to believe that the Tar Heels can pull off a great turnaround in a single year, but the facts are just stacked against something like that.
For example, let's look at some noteworthy coaches who have taken over programs in disarray. Most recently, Lou Holtz came into South Carolina and went 0-11 in his first year. Oh baby.
Now in the ACC, when Steve Spurrier came to Durham for a few years back in the late '80s, all the Ol' Ball Coach managed was a 2-5 conference record. Not even the great Bobby Bowden had a winning season in his first year at Florida State.
It doesn't help that there are precious few proven playmakers on UNC's 2007 squad. Sure, Hakeem Nicks is a winner, but someone has to get him the ball. Running back is a giant question mark. In fact, I would challenge readers to name one on the roster without looking it up.
Durell Mapp is an established linebacker, but he can't play all three positions, and Trimane Goddard is the only secondary player with any real experience.
But still, optimism is good. Maybe even good enough to win a game or two this year. But it can't carry UNC to a bowl game any more than Connor Barth's new 'stache can.
Remember, the years of the Bunting era were all distinguished by marked optimism. That optimism had a tendency to crash and burn midway through the first quarter of the opener. So forgive me, but after following North Carolina football for my entire life, I've seen too many years of not coming through.
The feelings of hope, energy and excitement that Davis inspires are all probably better-founded than in years past. But at some point, they will be put to the test.
So I'm going with the cynics and saying it's going to take a little time. 2008 is not the year of the Tar Heel. I do think Davis can make UNC a winning program.
Just not this year.
Contact Powell Latimer at tlatimer@email.unc.edu.
(08/24/07 4:00am)
Chip Peterson had one heck of a summer. While plenty of students caught up on some R&R, the sophomore swimmer spent his vacation amassing a veritable trophy case among the most elite competition around the world.
Peterson, who is a world-champion open-water swimmer, stuck mostly to the pool this summer. But the lack of waves did not put a damper on his success.
"To experience the same success in a pool was completely new for me," Peterson said. "And it's nice that the pool has records, so that I can actually break those records."
Break records is exactly what Peterson did during the offseason. In the Brazilian-held Pan American games, Peterson set a new record in the 1,500-meter swim with a time of 15:12.33 to win a gold medal.
The kicker is that Peterson accomplished this feat only one week after swimming the Pan Am games' 10K open-water event - and coming in second overall.
"It was just mentally tough to get back in and feel fit and work and then finally be able to drop down in yardage and intensity." Peterson said of the short turnaround.
Intensity, however, is something that Peterson's longtime coach and UNC assistant swim coach Catherine Vogt rarely lets drop.
"I think in Montreal (at the 2005 World Championships), he won the silver medal, and it was right before the 10K and I guess I said, 'World championship, world champion, world champion,'" Vogt said. "I want his focus to be that, the end result. When you win the gold medal, trust me, the pain goes away."
Less than two weeks after the Pan Am games, Peterson again made a short turnaround to race in the 2007 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships where he finished third with a time of 15:19.49.
Peterson also said he enjoyed the difference of traveling with the much larger Team USA as opposed to the smaller open-water team with which he usually travels.
"The pool team is much bigger, so it's exciting to be part of a team," Vogt said. "I mean, the open-water team is usually very small, like four to six athletes, so with the pool team, I mean, we had 25 to 30 . so American flags were waving."
If this summer proved anything for Peterson, it's that he is ready for the biggest stage. At the FINA World Cup in early June, he finished fifth in the 10K open water - a finish that could have had some Olympic ramifications
"The 2008 Worlds, where the Olympic selection is going to be held, is going to be the same course that I swam this summer, and I got fifth there," Peterson said. "Which I wasn't really happy with, but it was still really good for me to be there, and top 10 will make Olympic."
Peterson's achievements give Vogt, his coach since high school, a deep sense of satisfaction.
"I'm just really happy for him because I know he deserves it," she said. "He's worked really hard. It's just pride."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(08/23/07 4:00am)
The North Carolina cross country team is looking for a few leaders and some speedy freshmen to take the team to the next level.
On the women's side, hopes are high one year after the team's ninth straight NCAA bid, and UNC is hoping for even more
"It builds confidence, but we feel like we're a program that shouldn't be dependent on that bid," senior Addie Bracy said of the bids. "We feel like we should be going automatically anyway."
If the Tar Heels want to join the upper echelon of collegiate cross country, then their hopes will be based largely on the performance and progression of junior Brie Felnagle, UNC's top returning runner. After placing 22nd in the NCAA Championships her sophomore year, Felnagle had an eventful summer in which she won the 1500-meter race at the NCAA Track and Field Championships with a school-record time of 4:09.93.
"I support her fully. I mean, she won nationals last year, and I actually flew out there to watch her win," Bracy said. "I told her I was only flying out if she would promise me she'd win, and she won. So I obviously have 110 percent confidence in her that she can do whatever she wants to do."
Felnagle is joined by a supporting cast that returns all but one of the runners from last year's team and added a few freshmen who have impressed coaches and teammates in the preseason - chief among them, Kristy Longman.
"She's a really hard worker, really intense," Bracy said. "We had a 6 a.m. practice this morning; even then she was going a mile a minute."
On the men's side, the Tar Heels are taking a conservative approach to their upcoming season.
"I think our team needs to be realistic," senior co-captain Alex Ray said. "I don't think we have a shot (at making the NCAA championship meet). . Our goals are, though, to be top-five in the ACCs, and in the top 10 in regionals, and, I mean, that's plenty of work for us to do. We're not trying to set some arbitrary goals."
However, despite this, the team does have solid leadership from Ray.
"Alex has become probably one of our best captains that I've ever had," head coach Michael Whittlesey said. "He's done a tremendous job over the last two years."
Help is also coming for the Tar Heels, including freshmen who are anticipated to break into the starting seven this year.
"Probably our top freshman is Adam Cunningham," Whittlesey said. "He's an athlete that had a pretty good cross-country season his senior year and then broke out to a national ranking in his outdoor track season - he ended up running 4:10 for the mile."
The men's team also returns co-captains Brock Baker and Tristram Thomas, who combine with Ray to make their coaches' jobs that much easier.
"In practice I tell them what I need done, and I sit on the sidelines and watch because they have control of the team," Whittlesey said. They're doing a tremendous job."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(08/21/07 4:00am)
After the first losing season in recent memory, North Carolina volleyball has high hopes for a return to the top.
None of the players on this year's team had known a losing season before 2006's 11-20 campaign, and the memories of those losses serve as motivation for the 2007 squad.
"We don't really say it very often, but it's kind of in the back of everyone's minds," senior Christie Clark said. "It's kind of fueling us for this year. It's motivation to have a great year and come back. We learned a lot last year, and I think we can take that and put it into use this year. It's definitely fueling us, because no one likes to have a losing season."
Exactly how far UNC can rise is debatable, since no player from 2006's team ranked in the national top 50 in any major category. However, if the Tar Heels have to rely on intangibles, they certainly have them in seniors Ashley Board and Clark.
"They've come in and created a really good climate for the returning players and for the freshmen to be welcome, and that's what you want," head coach Joe Sagula said. "And making it competitive and holding people accountable."
Board in particular immediately stands out as a leader. In her first practice back after a hip injury, Board hit the floor again and again on the wrapped hip.
"When I'm out there I don't really feel anything," Board said. "It's just instinct to go hard all the time, and I'll think about the pain later."
Leading by example would have been enough, but Board kept up a constant dialogue of encouragement and advice to her teammates.
"It's so much fun - there's never a dull moment with Ashley on the court," Clarke said. "She's always talking in a positive way; she's always telling you where to hit the ball because she sees the court really well."
But Board is not the only cause for optimism on the Tar Heel side. The program brought in a few highly touted recruits - Courtney Johnston and Sue Haydel. Haydel was the 2005 National Junior Player of the Year and Gatorade Louisiana Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006.
"They both attack very, very well with a lot of velocity and power, and they're significantly more mature than most freshmen coming in," Sagula said. "They've acclimated extremely well to the program."
A few returning players for the Tar Heels also have sparked the coaches' interest.
"The person that first comes to mind is Christine Vaughen," Sagula said. "As a sophomore she has really seemed to have impressed a lot of the coaches, and I think her teammates. She's come in extremely fit; she's worked really hard to get to this point."
Vaughen had the second-highest kill percentage on the team last year and was fourth in blocks per game.
Another sophomore who could take a bigger role is Ingrid Hanson-Tuntland, who averaged 2.49 points per game and 2.03 kills per game.
Heading into 2007, Sagula's hopes are high for his team.
"I believe that this team will compete for the ACC title, will get into the NCAA tournament and before it's all over will be ranked as one of the top teams in the East Region, and then nationally will put us somewhere to be ranked in the top 25," Sagula said.
"I think that is a realistic expectation for this program. I think we're going to bounce back real big."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(08/21/07 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It's all the buzz surrounding North Carolina's field hockey practices -Rachel Dawson is back.
"She's the kind of player who makes others around her better," head coach Karen Shelton said. "She's been doing an awful lot of things for us on the field. ... You name it she does it."
The senior two-time All-American returns for her last season after redshirting a year to play for the national team. Even more impressive, Dawson was recently nominated for the WorldHockey Women's Young Player of the Year Award as one of the top six players worldwide under 23.
That alone would be cause for celebration in Henry Stadium, but Dawson's supporting cast also includes five members of the U.S. Under-21 team and seven starters from last year's team.
Her teammates are excited about her return as well.
"It's great to be back with Rachel, especially since I play defense," senior Xan Funk said. "We have her at center back right now, and I think it's just comforting to have her because of her leadership, and she brings a lot of experience"
While Dawson is the main cause of enthusiasm for 2007, she is part of a defense that, on paper, looks to be extremely competent. Sophomore back Riley Foster and her classmate, goalie Brianna O'Donnell, were selected for the U.S. Under-21 team this summer, and Funk returns as last year's go-to defensive stopper.
"Coach likes to say that offense wins games, but defense wins championships," Funk said. "So I think as long as we stay focused ... it'll carry over to wins."
Foster and O'Donnell were particularly successful last season, as O'Donnell played every minute in goal, and Foster started all 22 games at back. O'Donnell also ranked in the top 10 nationally in both goals against average and save percentage.
If last season is on their minds at all, the Tar Heels will try to get some ACC wins this year. UNC struggled with a 1-4 conference record in 2006, the only win coming against Boston College.
"I think all the teams in our conference are really strong," Shelton said. "But we're going to have a chance to win every game."
Maybe Dawson's biggest contribution to the Tar Heels will be in those close games that UNC never seemed to pull out last season. Five of UNC's seven regular season losses last year were decided by a single goal, including all four conference losses. Dawson's reputation of being one of the toughest players in the country could swing some of those games in UNC's favor.
She proved worthy of that distinction in a brief practice on Wednesday afternoon. Dawson took a vicious blow to the head and calmly walked to the sidelines - with her hand to her head and blood running down her face - as though nothing had happened. The injury would later require stitches.
"It didn't really hurt," Dawson said. "I think I'm kind of immune to it. I've gotten hit in the face so many times that's it's just like 'oh gosh, another scar.'"
If that's how Dawson plays all the time, then the Tar Heel defense won't lack toughness, certainly a needed trait in the ACC, which at one point last year included six of the top 10 teams. If nothing else, the memories of those close and hard-fought losses provide a stinging reminder.
"It's definitely motivation because we'll get to play all those people again at least once if not twice in the ACCs or again in NCAAs," Funk said. "But this year it's a different team, so hopefully it'll be a different game, and when we play them we won't keep it that close."
With hopes of stretching out those scoring margins, UNC returns three of its top four scorers from last season in Danielle Forword, Alli Tanner and Britt van Beek. Also returning is its assist leader Jesse Gey.
Tanner in particular will be a vital part of the Tar Heel attack coming off the bench.
"Alli does play really well off the bench," Shelton said. "She may be the caliber of a starter, but when you bring someone off the bench ... you want to have an elevation, and she does have an elevation."
UNC also brought in a nine-player freshman class, including Katelyn Falgowski, who last year was the only high school player on the U.S. national team. In fact, Falgowski already has three years of experience on the national level as a freshman.
With a slew of new talent combined with its returning players, UNC hopes to push to the next level, and hopes are high.
"Hopes? I mean do I really have to tell you?" Dawson asked.
"As soon as you set limits, you limit yourself, so there are no limits to this season and where we're going and where we want to go."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
Rachel Dawson resume:
(05/17/07 4:00am)
North Carolina's Kelly Taylor cut across the lane and violently collided with a Richmond player. The collision left the opposing player flat on the ground and Taylor still standing - with a wide-open shot which she rifled into the back of the goal.
That play alone summed up North Carolina's 14-7 thumping of the Spiders in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The Tar Heels were just plain better.
UNC set the tone early, jumping out to a 3-0 lead less than four minutes into the game while dominating the first few draw controls. North Carolina's dominance on the draw was so complete that Richmond only won two in the first half to UNC's 11.
"One of the things we've struggled with throughout the season is coming out flat, and it's been one of our goals going into the postseason- setting the tone really early, especially with the draw control," said senior attacker Christina Juras. "Cookie (Kristen) Carr did an amazing job with the draw, setting the tone and I think that was the margin of victory for us today."
After the initial North Carolina burst, Richmond looked to make things interesting with free position shots, converting on three consecutive 8-meter chances to cut UNC's lead to just one goal.
However, the Tar Heels quickly responded with four straight goals to put the score at 8-3 and the game out of reach. Taylor topped off the run scoring back-to-back goals in just more than a minute.
"It's not just today, Kelly's been hot," said Coach Jenny Levy. "She has been one of our best middies since Penn State."
Taylor's success has gone somewhat unnoticed of late as her younger sister Kristen has been playing even better in the home stretch of the season. The two combined for six of North Carolina's 14 goals, each scoring three times.
"We definitely have synergy out there on the field together," Kelly Taylor said.
"We just have the same type of mentality I think, especially when it comes to playoffs; this is our favorite time of the year. So having her out on the field is definitely a good feeling."
Also getting on the board for the Tar Heels was Juras, who jump-started the game by scoring the opening goal. Juras's two goals tied her for second most on the team with Julia Ryan and Chrissy Rude, while the Taylor sisters led the team with three each and Jess Allen and Kelly Renzi rounded out the scoring with goals of their own.
The Tar Heels will face conference rival Virginia after the Cavaliers defeated Princeton 19-10. UNC will be out to even the score after a lopsided 12-6 defeat in the ACC championship.
"I know that the first time they played us they didn't feel like they played all that great, but the next time we played them we felt like we didn't necessarily bring our `A' game," Levy said. "So this time I'm sure both groups are going to bring their `A' game, it should be a fantastic game."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(05/17/07 4:00am)
The No. 8 seed North Carolina men's lacrosse team played a scrappy, scrambling game to beat Navy 12-8 in the first round of the NCAA tournament Sunday.
The Tar Heels avenged their regular-season loss to the Midshipmen and forced the action into their kind of - as Navy coach Richie Meade said after the game - "unscripted offense."
The Midshipmen opened the game firing, taking three shots in the opening 90 seconds. Within two minutes, one of those shots found the net, earning Basil Daratsos his 17th goal of the season and giving Navy the early advantage.
The Tar Heels responded to the lightning-quick pace and scored less than 30 seconds later. And for the rest of the opening period, whenever Navy scored, UNC provided an answer all too quickly.
The Tar Heels' first three goals came within a minute of a Navy score, each time they won the face-off and caught the Navy defenders flat-footed.
North Carolina controlled the face-offs early on, winning 11 of the first 16.
While the Tar Heel offense took care of business, the Midshipmen's attack sputtered and failed in the home stretch, allowing UNC to end the game on a 6-1 run to seal the deal.
One reason for Navy's stagnant offense was the play of UNC goalie Grant Zimmerman. After giving up 17 goals in the first matchup, Zimmerman held the Midshipmen to just eight in his own peculiar, scrambling fashion. In the opening minutes of the game, Zimmerman sprinted behind the net and dove headfirst to maintain possession, barely beating out the Navy attacker.
Zimmerman's play was a microcosm for the rest of the team's performance. Twice in the closing minutes, UNC scored off rebounds from missed shots.
"If you look at this game on film, what you'd find is that seven or eight of their goals are off unsettled situations," Meade said.
"Ground balls, missed shots, balls that bounced to them - and that's the unscripted offense that they have the ability to get. And we weren't good enough to get to the ball first or catch it."
North Carolina advances to play conference rival and No. 1 overall seed Duke, who defeated Providence on Saturday. During the regular season, the Tar Heels gave Duke a scrappy game before bowing out 9-7.
"We'll be excited, it'll be a great opportunity for us," Coach John Haus said.
"Duke's the number one team in the country ... we'll practice hard, we'll put things together and we'll go on up to the United States Naval Academy and the Tar Heels will play hard."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(04/23/07 4:00am)
DURHAM - This was supposed to be the year.
North Carolina women's lacrosse was loaded with talent and finally going to overcome Duke, winner of six of the last seven contests between the two schools. A first-round bye in the ACC Tournament was at stake, and UNC was so confident that one player predicted a 14-6 victory.
Not quite.
The Tar Heels fell 11-10 to the Blue Devils at Koskinen Stadium on Friday night.
"My kids didn't do a good job making plays tonight," Coach Jenny Levy said. "Duke did."
Early on it looked like it might be UNC's day, as senior Christina Juras started off the scoring just about two minutes into the game off of a Megan Bosica pass.
But Duke had other plans, answering 11 seconds later with a Rachel Sanford goal. For every great play the Tar Heels made, Duke made one in return. Even senior Chrissy Rude's circus goal off of a behind-the-back shot couldn't faze the resilient Blue Devils.
For the rest of the half, the game went back and forth, with neither team able to pull away. Duke went into the half clinging to a 9-7 lead.
That was when a good game turned into a classic. When the teams took the field to start the second half, it wasn't the familiar Carolina-blue knee-high socks and No. 2 uniform of All-American Kristen Hordy in goal, it was the sweatpants of freshman Logan Ripley.
"Our defense wasn't playing particularly good tonight," Levy said. "We thought that by inserting her, not only could she help us off the eight-meter (a free-position shot), we also thought she could give us a spark, which she did in the second half."
Whatever Levy's thinking, Ripley wasted no time getting on the stat book, stopping three shots to start off the second half.
"Oh my God," Juras said. "She stepped up huge. She only allowed two goals, she saved three eight-meters, which was huge. She's an amazing goalie- - she's impossible to score on in practice."
Thanks to Ripley's efforts, the Tar Heels soon mounted a comeback.
Junior Erica LaGrow jump-started the Tar Heel offense by rifling a shot into the back of the net two minutes and 19 seconds into the half. Her teammate Meg Freshwater continued her traditional success against the Blue Devils, scoring four and a half minutes later to tie the game for the seventh time at nine goals apiece.
But in its next few possessions, North Carolina failed to convert and couldn't hold onto the ball, in part because Ripley's second-half brilliance was surpassed only by Duke goalie Kim Imbesi, who repeatedly foiled UNC's late-game rallies.
Levy said her team's struggles were largely its own fault.
"We had 15 turnovers tonight, and at least four of them in the first half were just us throwing the ball out of bounds," Levy said.
"Ball possession is critical, and if you're going to huck it out of bounds on an unforced error, that's one more shot that we don't get to take on our end."
Duke finally found a way to get the ball past Ripley, and the Blue Devils scored twice more in the final 13 minutes to seal the win.
Even so, the struggling UNC team had one last shot to tie. With just more than a minute left, Juras broke upfield and earned a free-position shot. But Imbesi came through again and made the last of her seven saves to sew up the win.
"I think both teams stepped it up a lot in the second half," Juras said. "We capitalized on a lot of them in the first half and in the second we made the job a little harder for ourselves."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(03/21/07 4:00am)
Jenny Levy could be the next TV psychic.
Before the women's lacrosse season started, the UNC head coach said that freshman attacker Kristen Taylor "would surprise some people."
Taylor certainly surprised then No. 5 Virginia, scoring six points on five goals and one assist as No. 1 UNC cruised to a 16-7 victory in their ACC opener.
"I think she's a great player," junior Erica Lagrow said. "She came out ready; she can play like that every game. She's such a hard worker, especially off-ball, that it's so hard to mark her, and she got free every play."
The Cavaliers pulled out to a 2-0 lead to start the game before Taylor took a pass from fellow freshman and roommate Megan Bosica and scored the Tar Heels' first goal of the game, jump-starting a 7-1 UNC run.
The impressive performance earned Taylor the ACC Player of the Week honors and Levy U.S. Lacrosse Coach of the Week.
With the win, the Tar Heels extended their season-opening winning streak to eight games and again displayed their dominance as the No. 1 team in the nation.
Thus far in the season, UNC has scored double-digit points in all but one contest, averaging 14.6 goals per game and only allowing an average of six and a half.
The secret to the Tar Heels' success might lie in their unusual strategy. Levy said the plan revolves around controlling lacrosse's all-important opening draw.
"We're a draw team, so our attackers don't start," Levy said. "A lot of people make a big deal about starting, but we actually don't. We run a specialty team to hopefully control the draw and then rotate into our offensive sets."
The system seems to be working pretty close to perfection in Levy's 12th year, as it leads to wins like an 9-point thrashing of the No. 5 team in the nation.
UNC's resume so far this year includes wins over Northwestern - the defending national champions - and three other wins over ranked opponents.
The key this year may just be the underclassmen that come off the bench to spark North Carolina's offense.
Taylor, Jenn Russell, and Bosica headline a class of speedy freshmen that the team hopes will take its play to the next level.
And Levy said the team has the highest level in mind.
"We really want to play the last game in May and win it."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(02/26/07 5:00am)
Sometimes a losing battle is the best one to fight.
Coming into the last night of the ACC Swimming and Diving Championships trailing Florida State by 146.5 and Virginia by 59, the North Carolina men's team knew it could not win.
Instead, it decided to go down swinging.
Junior Philip Owen opened the night by dropping 15 seconds off his fastest mile time en route to earning a bronze medal and finishing just behind freshman star Chip Peterson.
"Coming into the last day, you can see everyone put their heart on the line, swam their best," Owen said.
(02/22/07 5:00am)
The North Carolina women's tennis team opened ACC play in style, steamrolling Virginia Tech 7-0 Wednesday night.
The night started off well for No. 5 UNC as the Tar Heels extended their streak of unbeaten home doubles matches to 24.
First, the tandem of freshman Sanaz Marand and senior Caitlin Collins didn't give their Hokie opponents a single game, winning 8-0.
Next, Katrina Tsang and Sara Anundsen jumped out to a 6-1 lead in their doubles match. Virginia Tech rallied by winning the next two games before two forceful slams by Tsang ended the match, giving UNC the win, 8-3. Jenna Long and Austin Smith pulled away midway through their match, winning 8-4.
At the start of the singles matches, the Tar Heels looked to be in trouble as Tsang and Collins struggled out of the gates, both falling a game behind. However, neither player said they were concerned.
"Worried? No, you just have to take it one point at a time," Tsang said. "You just can't dig a hole for yourself, so I just tried to get back in there as quickly as possible."
Collins shared her sentiments.
"I think part of maturing throughout college is knowing that when you're down, it's fine," she said. "Just keep playing your game and things will eventually turn out your way. And if not, then they're just playing very well."
Things did turn our well for the Tar Heels as both Collins (6-4, 6-0) and Tsang (6-2, 6-2) rallied to win their matches.
Marand easily defeated Jessica Brouwer 6-0, 6-1; Anundsen won 7-5, 6-2; and Smith defeated Karina Porushkevich 6-2, 6-3.
Oddly enough, the only truly contested match of the night was between UNC's Long, ranked No. 4 in singles by the ITA rankings, and Virginia Tech's unranked Inga Beermann.
After winning the first set 6-0, Long tired, and the athletic Beermann came back from a 4-1 deficit in the second set to force a tie-breaker, which she won. Because North Carolina had already won the dual match, the two played an advanced tie breaker to end their match. Long managed to overcome the challenge, besting Beermann, 10-6.
"I think Jenna has been sick, and that's not an excuse," head coach Brian Kalbas said. "That girl kind of just wore her down to the point where Jenna just had no energy left. . Fortunately for her she was kind of able to finish (Beermann) off in the tiebreaker."
Kalbas also implied that his team should be ready to play close matches for the rest of the season.
"ACC is the best conference in the country, there's no question there," Kalbas said. "It's got the most teams in the top 10, most teams in the top 25. . You just have to take it match by match. Every team in the conference is good."
However, the team hopes that the early success bodes well for the rest of the season.
"It's always good to get out to a good start," Collins said. "I think it's important because ACCs is kind of a big deal for us."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(02/21/07 5:00am)
"You do what?"
Chip Peterson is used to the responses. Every time the North Carolina freshman swimmer tells people what he does, he gets the same are-you-out-of-your-mind look and the same incredulous responses.
That's what he gets for not only choosing to swim five or 10 kilometers - about three or five miles - at a time, but doing so in open water.
That's right, the ocean. Apparently Peterson has never seen Jaws.
The incredible part about it is that this soft-spoken kid of 19 years might be the best in world at what he does. Just ask UNC assistant coach Catherine Vogt.
"I think he can potentially win a gold medal in the 10K open water in Beijing in 2008," Vogt said. "I think he can be a contender for the gold in the 1,500-meter freestyle, as well."
A gold medal or two in the 2008 Summer Olympics would be the crowning achievement of an already-impressive career.
Peterson has traveled around the world, becoming a world champion in the open-water 10K in 2005 and winning the 10K at both the Pan-American and Pan-Pac championships in 2006. He also claimed the national championships in the open-water 10K in 2005 and both the open-water 5K and 10K in 2006.
Yet, if you ever talked to Peterson, you'd never realize the his trophy case is overflowing. He's reluctant to talk about any of his wins, and one almost has to pry to get him to talk about how he got started swimming in the ocean instead of a pool.
"My club team went down to do an open-water event in Wilmington, and I really enjoyed that. I actually won the whole thing," he said, laughing. "I think I was 12 at the time."
While he avoided mentioning his victories and accolades, the articulate Peterson opened up about the actual race itself.
"Obviously it's long, it's hard, it can get boring," Peterson said. "But it's really quite interesting, especially in the closer races where there's a pack the entire way. It's just so dynamic how strategic everything is."
Peterson glossed over several parts necessary for success, and when he mentioned in passing the roughness competitors use in open water swimming, Vogt laughed.
"He came out with a black eye in world championships in Italy this summer. His eye was completely bloodshot," she said.
Peterson shrugged and nodded. "Yeah, that's pretty common."
When Peterson shies from talking about himself, Vogt is probably the most qualified person to ask. She used to coach Peterson's club team and now coaches him at UNC.
Vogt said that in order to swim distance, "you have to have a pretty high tolerance for pain and a tough mental outlook."
Vogt also thinks Peterson embodies these qualities.
"I think his threshold level, the pace he can sustain is higher than most people," she said. "He's able to produce lactic acid and clear it faster than most people, and so his training pace is faster than most people, and that helps him in both a pool race and in a 10K."
Unfortunately for Peterson, UNC's pool, Koury Natatorium, is indoors with no waves or currents, and college meets do not typically swim events longer than 1,650 meters.
However, Peterson continues to perform well in ACC competition, holding the fastest times for the Tar Heels in the 500-, 1,000-, and 1,650-meter freestyle events.
But Vogt said that Peterson's success hasn't changed him one bit.
"If anything it makes him want to get better and win more," she said. "It makes him appreciate what he has and what he's worked hard for. . It feels great to be the best in the world, and he wants to feel that way again."
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.