By R.L. Bynum
North Carolina’s undefeated athletics program, which is off to the best start in the country, now has a pair of No. 2-ranked teams.
After dominating home victories last week (3–0 over North Dakota and 2–0 over Seton Hall), the women’s soccer team jumped three spots to No. 2, the same spot held in the preseason field hockey poll by the two-time reigning national champion.
The Tar Heels’ women’s soccer team (6–0–0) visits Duke (2–1–0) at 7 p.m. Thursday (ACC Network) in a match that doesn’t count in the ACC standings. Graduate goaltender Clare Gagne (top photo) has three consecutive shutouts.
The field hockey team (2–0) opened the season by beating No. 12 Michigan 4–1 and No. 6 Iowa 2–1 last weekend in Ann Arbor, Mich. The next field hockey poll doesn’t come out until Sept. 10.
The men’s soccer team (3–0–1), which jumped five spots to No. 12, moved UNC athletics to 15–0–1 on Monday night with a 6–0 home victory over East Tennessee State. The Tar Heels host St. John’s at 7 p.m. Friday.
With the Tar Heels’ men’s and women’s cross country teams each finishing first at the season-opening Carolina Opener meet, UNC is easily off to the best start in the country, undefeated in seven sports.
The closest competitor is Ohio State, which is 9–0–2 (men’s soccer and women’s soccer each 3–0–1, volleyball 3–0 and football 1–0). But while its men’s cross country team won its first meet, its women’s cross country team finished second.
It’s the best start for Carolina athletics without a defeat in the 21st century, according to Matt Krause, the play-by-play voice of UNC women’s basketball.
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
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