Sports - The Daily Tar Heel

Women's Soccer Learns, Regroups

By Gavin Off | Sep. 7, 2001

Henry Ford once said, "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." If that's the case, then North Carolina women's soccer team hasn't stopped staring at its goal of another national championship since the first practice of the season. Heading into this weekend's Carolina Nike Classic, the nation's No. 1 team has remained optimistic. Some of the team entered the season out of shape, but at least everyone's healthy.

Showdown With Brown

By Mike Ogle | Sep. 7, 2001

Mack Brown helped make North Carolina football history. Then like a cattle driver on the range, Brown was history, leaving clouds of dust and hoofprints behind. His time in Chapel Hill exceeded productivity. By the time Brown moved on, UNC's record had flip-flopped from the 1-10 marks his teams posted his first two years as head coach in 1988 and 1989. He left having earned six straight bowl berths and with a No. 6 national ranking in '97. Brown and his success were instrumental in getting built the 78,000-square-foot Frank H.

Volleyball Changes Scoring

Sep. 7, 2001

With its matches often running up to three hours and its rules too confusing for casual fans, collegiate women's volleyball has been given a major facelift. The most noticeable of the new rule changes brought on by the NCAA and the National Association for Girls and Women in Sports is the switch from sideout volleyball to a rally scoring format. Matches used to be played best-of-five. The first four games were played to 15, and a team could score only on serve.

DTH Picks of the Week

By Staff Editor | Sep. 7, 2001

During last week's revelry, the DTH kids managed to do something never before seen on these pages -- pick a game that didn't exist. So add an extra loss for sheer stupidity, and get ready to hit the trail to Texas.

Cross Country Plans to Combine Efforts to Notch `W's

By Curt Kendall | Sep. 6, 2001

If Sen. Joseph McCarthy were alive, he might accuse North Carolina's cross-country runners of being Communists. They don't read Karl Marx before each meet, and their uniforms aren't embroidered with a hammer and sickle. But the Tar Heels are focusing on the collective good of the team, not on individual achievements, for success in 2001. "Our motivation lies in how the team does," sophomore Shalane Flanagan said.

Kluegel, Reddick to Train With U.S. Team

Sep. 5, 2001

From Staff Reports North Carolina women's soccer players Jena Kluegel and Catherine Reddick left Tuesday to train with the U.S. national team and could be lost to the Tar Heels for up to 12 days. Both UNC starters will be in a training camp with the national team until this coming Sunday. At that time the U.S. squad will be cut and will compete next week in Nike Cup games in Chicago, Kansas City and Columbus. If Reddick and Kluegel do not make the team they will return for UNC's game against Clemson on Sept. 12.

Volleyball Sweeps Davidson

Sep. 5, 2001

Staff Report DAVIDSON -- The North Carolina volleyball team defeated Davidson 3-0 Tuesday night at Belk Arena in Davidson. The Tar Heels won the first two games by narrow two-point margins, 30-28 in the first and 35-33 in the second, before taking the final game by a 30-16 count. NCAA volleyball has changed its scoring this year. Instead of playing to 15 points, squads will play a 30-point rally game. This way, each play will end with one team being rewarded with a point.

Testo, Gell Emerge As Offensive Threats

By Ian Gordon | Sep. 4, 2001

With the departure of Michael Bucy, Chris Carrieri and Caleb Norkus from last year's men's soccer team, North Carolina coach Elmar Bolowich needed to find new answers to his offensive questions. Bolowich may have identified some potential solutions this weekend in Mike Gell and David Testo.

Barnard's Punts Frustrate Tar Heels

By Kelly Lusk | Sep. 4, 2001

Barnard's Punts Frustrate Tar Heels By Kelly Lusk Assistant Sports Editor COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Maryland punter Brooks Barnard didn't need to eat any Wheaties to play like a champion. This was fortunate for his team, because Barnard, whose long punts gave the North Carolina football team such poor field position that it couldn't move the ball, missed the team breakfast Saturday morning in the Byrd Stadium fieldhouse. "I had to go," said Barnard, who was fourth in the country in punting last season.

Field Hockey Sets Record In Weekend Barrage

By Brad Broders | Sep. 4, 2001

With time winding down against Virginia Commonwealth on Sunday, North Carolina field hockey coach Karen Shelton was stuck with a dilemma. Pass the ball around or let the youngsters play. The Tar Heels, having already tallied 10 goals through the contest's first 50 minutes at Henry Stadium, could either stop scoring or continue their offensive onslaught. "We kind of wanted to follow Anson's (Dorrance) rule where he gets to nine as quickly as possible and then passes it around," Shelton said. "But it got to the point where we were putting in kids who were playing for the first t

Tar Heels Endure ASU Fouls

Sep. 4, 2001

Appalachian State used about every aggressive tactic possible to stymie a bigger and stronger North Carolina soccer team. But the Mountaineers' 29 fouls and seven cards did not keep the Tar Heels from scoring, as UNC defeated ASU 3-0 Monday night at Fetzer Field. The game's physical nature placed a strain on the Tar Heel offense, but it was the first-half's overall effort that concerned UNC coach Elmar Bolowich. "I was not very pleased at halftime with the way we performed in the first 45 minutes," Bolowich said.

Durant Furthers QB Question

By Rachel Carter | Sep. 4, 2001

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- When Darian Durant stepped on the field of Byrd Stadium, people wondered if the redshirt freshman could do it again. Could he spark North Carolina to a rally and help them charge back from a deficit? Unfortunately for Durant and the Tar Heels, the answer was pretty much no. He did move the ball well, something starting quarterback Ronald Curry struggled with again. But instead of being responsible for two touchdowns, Durant was charged with two interceptions. His numbers were also still better than Curry's. Durant was 10 of 14 for 97 yards and was sacked twice.

Maryland Runs Through UNC's `D'

By Rachel Carter | Sep. 4, 2001

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- For Ralph Friedgen, it was a joyous beginning, a glorious start to his first year as Maryland's football coach. For John Bunting, it was a bitter disappointment, a depressing start to his first year as North Carolina's football coach. Sweet redemption for the Terrapins, a squad whose doubters were many and loud.

Martin's Offense Pays Dividends

Sep. 4, 2001

Coming into the 2001 campaign, senior and third-team All-American Abby Martin knew she would have to take her game to an even higher level. North Carolina's leading scorer from 2000, Kristen McCann, used up her eligibility, and the team would lose midfielder Carrie Lingo and goalkeeper Amy Tran to the U.S. national field hockey team for seven games in September. "I knew during the summer that I would have to take a real leadership role," Martin said. "I knew it was time to step up my game." Step up her game on the offensive end of the field, that is.

UNC Needs to Establish Rush

By Staff Editor | Aug. 31, 2001

Game and time: North Carolina at Maryland. Kickoff is at noon. Site: Byrd Stadium. TV/radio: ABC will televise the game nationally. The Tar Heel Sports Network will provide live radio coverage; its flagship station is WCHL 1360 AM. Records: North Carolina 0-1, season opener for Maryland. Series: North Carolina leads 35-27-1. Personnel update: North Carolina -- PK Jeff Reed (sprained ankle) is probable, S Billy Dee Greenwood (left shoulder sprain) is questionable. Maryland -- None reported.

Volleyball Determined to Defend ACC Title

By Jamie Agin | Aug. 31, 2001

From Tiger Woods blowing away the field at his first Masters to pitching sensation Danny Almonte dominating the Little League World Series, athletes are constantly proving that raw talent can overcome youthful inexperience. In its 2001 campaign, North Carolina's women's volleyball team seems ready to provide yet another example. One would think a squad that graduated three after winning the ACC title and making the NCAA tournament last year might struggle. But this year's squad insists that's far from the case.

DTH Picks of the Week

By Staff Editor | Aug. 31, 2001

The DTH Sports staff and one celebrity/personality pick the winners of the biggest college football games this weekend. Today, Carolina Blue chief reporter and former DTHer Evan Markfield will pick all the winners and see if his prognostication has improved since he graduated. The season's already a week old, but the DTH Picks of the Week finally stumbled in late, bleary-eyed and sleepy. The Picks crew, with five first-timers, has been prematurely celebrating some birthday action.

Fitness, Defensive Depth Keys for Women's Soccer

By Gavin Off | Aug. 30, 2001

All great things come to an end. A struggling Dan Marino retired, the U.S. economy started to slump, and the Taco Bell on Franklin Street closed its doors for good. So the days when North Carolina's women's soccer team humiliated its regular-season opponents then moved on to do the same in the postseason might also be fading. All three of the Tar Heels' defeats last year came against ACC opponents. It was the most conference losses the defending national champions have suffered and the most total defeats they've had since dropping five in 1980.

Thornton Relishes New Starring Role

By Kelly Lusk | Aug. 29, 2001

Senior linebacker David Thornton never dreamed of sitting in a room with more than 20 reporters. But after the former walk-on's performance in the North Carolina football team's season debut against Oklahoma, there he was, the player of choice at UNC coach John Bunting's weekly Tuesday press conference. "I never imagined having to give interviews or anything like that," a wide-eyed Thornton said. "I don't consider myself anybody special."

Men's Soccer Gets Defensive in '01

By Ian Gordon | Aug. 29, 2001

A season ago, the North Carolina men's soccer team featured one of the nation's most feared offensive attacks, sparked by the country's leading scorer, Chris Carrieri. The Tar Heel defense, which allowed just 18 goals in 24 games, went largely unheralded as Carrieri, Michael Bucy, Caleb Norkus and Logan Pause paced a squad that scored more goals than any other in school history. Since then, Bucy graduated, Carrieri and Norkus were drafted into Major League Soccer, and Pause tore the meniscus in his left knee.