Sports - The Daily Tar Heel

Cross Country Finds Strength in Numbers

By Curt Kendall | Oct. 3, 2000

The casual observer probably thinks of Saturday's UNC Challenge as a contest for individual glory. North Carolina's cross country runners don't see it that way. Team unity and the ability to help one another contribute to the two Tar Heel victories at Finley Golf Course came first. "When you are running with your teammates, their energy is your energy, and your energy is their energy," said Beth George, who placed fourth.

Cross Country Teams Enjoy 1st Taste of Victory

By Kelly Lusk | Oct. 2, 2000

The taste of victory is sweet, and North Carolina's men and women's cross country teams were thirsty. The UNC Challenge at Finley Golf Course on Saturday gave the Tar Heels their first drink of success. The UNC men and women both claimed first place against Virginia Commonwealth and UNC-Charlotte. Before Saturday's race, a first place finish had escaped both teams. The UNC women (20 points) dominated their race, placing seven in the top 10. Freshman Shalane Flanagan won for the third week in a row.

Curtis Fails to Escape Claws of UNC's Leitch

By Ian Gordon | Oct. 2, 2000

DURHAM -- North Carolina defender Chris Leitch could sense the lead pass coming from Duke midfielder Adam Guren. With UNC leading 2-1 late in the second half, Leitch knew he'd have to beat Blue Devil Ali Curtis to the ball to prevent the 1999 Hermann Trophy winner from scoring and tying the game. After all, that was his job. He did it well, keeping Curtis from getting possession. Leitch limited Curtis to just one shot in UNC's 4-2 victory at Koskinen Stadium.

Tech Endures Big Plays, Burns UNC

Oct. 2, 2000

It was a game of big plays, and the North Carolina football team was responsible for many of them. Too many of them, in fact. The Tar Heels were spectacular in the deep passing game, as quarterback Ronald Curry completed four passes of 50 yards or more, but bad special-teams play and some poor decisions by Curry in the red zone hurt them in a 42-28 loss to Georgia Tech on Saturday. The numbers on the scoreboard failed to mimic those of the stat sheet. The Tar Heels outgained the Yellow Jackets 477 to 372, but somehow it wasn't enough.

Tar Heels Record 2 ACC Wins

By Brad Broders | Oct. 2, 2000

DURHAM - Just when North Carolina's field hockey team had broken through a lingering obstacle, the Tar Heels were struck with an unexpected variable. The letdown. The fifth-ranked Tar Heels, after snapping their three-game losing streak to Wake Forest with a 3-2 victory on Saturday, came out with an uninspired 2-1 win against Duke on Sunday. "I wished we would have played with a little more aggressiveness and confidence," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "I thought we played flat. It is to Duke's credit - they were aggressive and beat us to balls." Against the No.

Special Teams Errors Sabotage Tar Heels' Efforts

By Mike Ogle | Oct. 2, 2000

Georgia Tech knew it was coming. The Yellow Jackets recognized North Carolina's punt protection weaknesses on film. They expected to block a punt Saturday at Kenan Stadium. They weren't disappointed. "It's been there all week," said Tech's Chris Young. "That's what we practiced because the tackle was a little slow coming off the ball. "He came off, I saw it was open, the first protector picked up Kerry (Watkins) on the outside, and that just brought me free.

Volleyball Comes Back To Defeat Florida State

By Staff Repots | Oct. 2, 2000

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The North Carolina volleyball team remained undefeated in the ACC with a 3-2 (15-9, 2-15, 6-15, 15-9, 15-13) victory on the road against Florida State on Sunday. UNC is 4-0 in league play and 14-2 overall after the win. Three UNC players registered double-digit kills, led by Casey Simpson's 16. Lisa Fryer tallied a team-high 11 digs, and Eve Rackham posted 51 assists. North Carolina continues its road trip with non-conference action against No. 12 Florida on Wednesday.

Bush Steps to Forefront in UNC Victory

By Matt Terry | Oct. 2, 2000

The North Carolina women's soccer team seems to have a different player step to the forefront every week. Last weekend, Meredith Florance scored three times in two games to lead the No. 4 Tar Heels to wins against William & Mary and Texas Christian. Friday, sophomore forward Susan Bush recorded her first career hat trick in a 6-1 UNC rout of 14th-ranked Duke (8-2, 2-1 in the ACC) in front of a season-high 4,355 fans at Fetzer Field. Florance, the Tar Heels' leading scorer, notched her 13th and 14th goals of the season.

Men's Soccer Defeats Duke for 1st Time Since '96

By Ronald Hoffman | Oct. 2, 2000

DURHAM - The North Carolina men's soccer team had not scored a single goal against Duke in three years. That all changed Sunday when the No. 12 Tar Heels exploded for four goals en route to a 4-2 upset against the No. 5 Blue Devils (5-4, 2-1 in the ACC) at Koskinen Stadium. After trailing 1-0 at halftime, UNC (8-2, 2-1) attacked with a newfound enthusiasm, putting the ball past Duke goalkeeper Jeff Haywood four times. "Coach (Elmar Bolowich) told us at halftime to keep our heads up," North Carolina midfielder Eddie Robinson said. "He said that we were playing better and outshooting them.