By R.L. Bynum
Aside from the surging football team, every other Carolina team in a fall sport is now ranked, with the men’s soccer team debuting at No. 16 in the United Soccer Coaches poll. The Tar Heels fell off the top spot in the women’s soccer poll but only to No. 2, while the field hockey team moved up one spot to No. 9 and the volleyball team held at No. 23.
Men’s soccer
Coach Carlos Somoano’s team (7–2–3, 3–1–2 ACC, 11 points) has won five consecutive matches, the latest a 1–0 victory Friday at Pittsburgh (8–4–2, 3–2–1, 10 points), which fell 10 spots to No. 17 after the loss. It is the first time Carolina has been ranked since it was No. 22 in the Oct. 21 poll last season. Senior defender Max Fisher (top photo) notched the goal, and sophomore goaltender Alan Rutkowski is the ACC Defensive Player of the Week after recording the shutout
The Tar Heels, fourth in the ACC, try to extend the streak at 8 p.m. Friday (ACC Network) at unranked Duke (7–8, 1–5, 3 points). That is their penultimate league game before they finish at home against unranked N.C. State (5–5–4, 1–3–2, 5 points) on Oct. 30.
Senior forward Joschi Schelb leads the team with 12 goals, two assists and 26 points.
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Women’s soccer
Coach Damon Nahas’ team (12–2, 5–1 ACC, 15 points) had its nine-match winning streak end with a 3–1 loss Sunday at No. 4 Wake Forest (11–2–1, 4–2–1, 13 points), and unbeaten Vanderbilt (14–0–1) took over the top ranking. Carolina had won 1–0 Thursday at Clemson (6–4–4, 2–3–2, 8 points).
The Tar Heels still hold a two-point lead over the Deacons and Notre Dame (6–1–6, 4–1–1, 13 points) atop the ACC standings with three regular-season matches left. They play their first home match since Oct. 2 at 6 p.m. Friday (ACC Network) against No. 7 Stanford (9–2–2, 3–2–1, 10 points).
Field hockey
Coach Erin Matson’s team (9–5, 5–1 ACC) rolled to a 4–0 home win Friday over Boston College (6–8, 1–4) in its first ACC game in 14 days, then knocked off No. 14 Syracuse (7–4, 2–3) on Sunday 2–1. The Tar Heels trail No. 7 Duke (11–3, 6–1) by only a half-game in the ACC standings with two conference games left.
UNC hosts No. 10 Wake Forest (10–5, 4–2) at 6 p.m. Friday and then closes its non-conference schedule at 1 p.m. Sunday at Appalachian State (8–7). The regular-season finale is a 6 p.m. visit to the Blue Devils on Friday, Oct. 30.
Volleyball
Coach Mike Schall’s team (12–4, 7–1 ACC) was swept 3–0 at first-place and No. 3-ranked Louisville (18–2, 8–0) for its first league loss. The Tar Heels try to rebound at 7 p.m. Friday at Carmichael Arena against California (15–4, 5–3).
Eleven conference matches remain after that in a sport without a league tournament, and the most challenging comes Sunday, Nov. 8, when Carolina visits No. 2 Pittsburgh (17–1, 7–1). The Tar Heels are tied with the Panthers for third place in the ACC standings.
Cross country
North Carolina’s women’s team held at No. 19 in the USTFCCCA Top 25 while the men’s team is unranked.
At the Tar Heels’ regular-season finale, the Under Armour Pre-National Invitational on Friday in Terre Haute, Ind., both teams finished fifth, with the women compiling 249 points and the men 243. Junior Ciara O’Shea finished 30th (20 minutes, 3.3 seconds) for the highest women’s finish. Freshman Caden Leonard was 19th in the 8K men’s race (23:34.9) to top the men.
The ACC Championship is Oct. 30 in Blacksburg, Va.
Photo via @UNCmenssoccer
