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No. 8 UNC Hands No. 1 Men's Soccer First Loss, 2-1
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Sept. 22, 2006
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – – No. 8 North Carolina used two second-half goals including the eventual game-winner by Eddie Ababio in the 75th minute to knock off No. 1 Virginia, 2-1, Friday night at Fetzer Field. The Cavaliers (8-1-0, 2-1-0 ACC) dropped their first game of the season while North Carolina (8-2-0, 1-2-0 ACC) won their first Atlantic Coast Conference game of the season.
“We knew this was going to be a tough road game for us,” UVa head coach George Gelnovatch said. “When we fell behind, our guys never quit. We scored one and put pressure on them late which I was very pleased to see. This is a very tough conference. You can’t expect to go undefeated in this league. There are so many good teams, and we faced one of those teams on their home field tonight.”
Trailing 2-0 in the 82nd minute, the Cavaliers were awarded a throw-in. Zola Short threw into the box. Yannick Reyering flicked a pass to Adam Cristman, who headed in his first goal of the season bringing the Cavaliers within, 2-1.
North Carolina broke the scoreless tie in the 67th minute. Scott Campbell headed a double cross from Ben Hunter and Bill Dworsky into the upper right corner of the goal to put the Tar Heels ahead, 1-0.
UNC struck eight minutes later, when Ababio struck his first touch off a pass from Zach Loyd and Michael Callahan 18 yards into the back of the net giving the Tar Heels a 2-0 lead at the 75:07 mark.
Virginia threatened to tie the game in the 74th minute when Reyering had a one-on-one chance with UNC keeper Justin Hughes. Hughes made a leaping save to keep the game tied, 1-1.
Both teams battled to scoreless tie in the first as each team had one shot in the first half. UVa goalkeeper Ryan Burke tallied one save in the first half. He finished with six saves in the game. Hughes allowed the one goal for North Carolina and recorded four saves.
Virginia returns to action Wednesday when the Cavaliers host American at 7 p.m.