By R.L. Bynum
North Carolina has four top-10 teams with the latest polls released Tuesday.
Coach Erin Matson’s two-time reigning NCAA champion field hockey team leads the way. The Tar Heels (4–0), who play No. 15 Syracuse (4–1) in their home opener at 5 p.m. Friday (ESPN3), remain No. 2 in the NFHCA Top 25 behind Northwestern (6–0), which has lost to UNC in the last two NCAA championship games.
Both Carolina soccer teams moved up in the polls after each won their ACC openers last week.
Coach Carlos Somoano’s men’s team (4–0–2) jumped five spots to No. 6 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25, back to its preseason poll ranking, after Friday’s 2–1 victory at Duke. Graduate forward Martin Vician (top photo) scored the game-winning goal, earning him ACC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
The Tar Heels host No. 18 N.C. State (4–0–2) at 7 p.m. Friday (ESPN3).
Interim coach Damon Nahas’ women’s team (8–1) moved up two spots to No. 8 after Thursday’s 1–0 home victory over Wake Forest, which jumped from unranked to No. 13. The Tar Heels play two road ACC games against unranked teams this week, taking on Pittsburgh at 7 p.m. Thursday (ESPN3) and Syracuse at 1 p.m. Sunday (ESPN3).
Coach Chris Miltenberg’s men’s cross country team is No. 6 in the USTFCCCA Top 30 poll (up one spot) after a head-to-head tiebreaker victory over No. 15 Virginia (up eight spots) in the Virginia Invitational. Ethan Strand led the victory by winning in 23 minutes, 49.8 seconds.
Miltenberg’s women’s team jumped 10 spots to No. 18 after a 23–33 victory over No. 16 Virginia (up one spot), led by a one-two finish from seniors Brynn Brown and Fatima Alanis.
Photo via @UNCmenssoccer
tarheeltribune.com 