University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
George Mason
No. 5 Carolina Plays to Scoreless Draw with George Mason
September 30, 2003 | Men's Soccer
Sept. 30, 2003
FAIRFAX, Va. - Playing its fifth overtime match in 10 chances this season, the No. 5 North Carolina men's soccer team earned a scoreless draw at George Mason Tuesday. The 0-0 tie was the first for the Tar Heels (7-1-2, 1-1-0 ACC) since a blanking at Radford in 1998. Carolina is now 3-0-2 in overtime contests this season.
The Tar Heels picked up their fifth shutout of the season, and freshman Justin Hughes earned his second shutout in three starts in goal. UNC is 2-0-1 with Hughes in net. George Mason is now 5-3-2 with the tie.
North Carolina nearly ended the game in the first minute of the first overtime period. Freshman Jamie Watson sent a cross from the left side and junior Marcus Storey flicked it with his head over Patriot junior goalkeeper John O'Hara toward the right post. At the goalline, GMU sophomore Anthony Noreiga cleared the ball away to prevent the Tar Heel victory.
oth defenses dominated play in the first half of regulation, but the two offenses got going after intermission. Two minutes into the second half, George Mason junior Matt Mendy gathered a pass at the top of the penalty area, turned and fired a shot, but Hughes made a sprawling save with his leg. The Tar Heels had two solid opportunities later in the half as junior Ray Fumo's free kick bounced over the defense and hit the right post in the 64th minute, then freshman Wes Shull's 35-yard free kick in the 80th minute went off the top of the crossbar.
Hughes finished the night with four saves for North Carolina, while O'Hara had two saves for the Patriots. George Mason held a 9-8 advantage in shots.
The Tar Heels are now 1-0-2 in double-overtime games, with the lone victory being last week's dramatic 3-2 win over Duke at Fetzer Field. Carolina played to a 1-1 draw at Vermont on Sept. 7. UNC is now 0-1-2 on the road, while owning perfect 4-0 and 3-0 marks at home and at neutral sites, respectively.
Carolina returns to action Sunday when the Tar Heels host top-ranked Maryland at Fetzer Field at 2 p.m.
Scoring: None Goals: None Assists: None Goalie Stats: Justin Hughes (UNC): 0 goals allowed, 4 saves, 110 minutes; John O'Hara (GMU): 0 goals allowed, 2 saves 110 minutes Shots: UNC 8, GMU 9 Yellow Cards: Andrew Rhea (UNC), 63:16; Karim Manneh (GMU), 4:31; Matt Mendy (GMU), 66:59; Teba McKnight (GMU), 80:36; Neema Doroudian (GMU), 109:17 Ejections: Danny Climo (GMU), 109:52Score by Halves Team 1 2 OT OT Final No. 5 UNC 0 0 0 0 0 GMU 0 0 0 0 0
