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University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
NC State
No. 1 Tar Heels Fall To NC State, 3-1
September 6, 2006 | Men's Soccer
Sept. 6, 2006
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Senior Santiago Fusilier connected on a 35-yard strike in the 72nd minute, and freshman Alan Sanchez followed with a penalty kick goal five minutes later to give NC State a 3-1 win over No. 1 North Carolina and its first victory over the Tar Heels since 1997 Wednesday in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams at Fetzer Field. Carolina (4-1-0, 0-1-0 ACC) entered the match having not allowed a goal all season, but gave up three scores for just the second time in its last 15 games.
The announced crowd of 3,012 was the eighth largest for a men's game in Fetzer Field history.
After posting a 9-0-3 mark against the Wolfpack (3-2-0, 1-0-0 ACC) in the teams' last 12 meetings, Carolina dropped its first match to State since a 3-1 decision in Raleigh in '97. Freshman Jorge Mora scored the first goal for the Pack, and senior Corey Ashe tallied the Tar Heels' lone goal.
With the game tied at one, Fusilier tallied an unassisted goal at 71:41 to give State its second lead of the match. The midfielder dribbled toward the middle of the field and fired from 35 yards just out of the reach of UNC goalkeeper Justin Hughes.
Just over five minutes later, Sanchez pushed the State lead to a two-goal advantage with the penalty kick, his third goal in the last two games. Sanchez was fouled in the box by UNC defender Andre Sherard to set up the game's final goal at the 76:42 mark.
With much of the NC State defense in the box from that point on Carolina managed just one shot the rest of the way. The teams were even in the shot chart at 12 apiece.
The Tar Heels were forced to play two men down for the final 10 minutes after a pair of red cards. The game featured 30 fouls - 16 by NC State - and eight cards.
The Tar Heels allowed their first goal of the season in the 24th minute when Mora picked up a misplayed clear by Hughes and scored on an open net. Hughes came out to challenge Mora and stumbled at the 18-yard line, allowing the NC State freshman to pick up the ball and score his first career goal.
Carolina trailed for just over a minute, as the Tar Heels answered with Ashe's goal in the 25th minute. Senior defender Michael Harrington sent a cross from the left flank toward the far post, where Ashe guided a header into the right side of the net from the six. The goal was his first of the season, and Ashe is the sixth different Tar Heel to score on the year. Harrington's assist was his team-best second of the year.
In addition to being the Tar Heels' first loss to NC State since 1997, Wednesday's game was Carolina's first loss in an ACC home opener since 2000 and the team's first loss as the No. 1-ranked team in the nation since a Dec. 2, 2000 defeat at the hands of Indiana in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.
Carolina looks to get back in the win column at Liberty at 2 p.m. Saturday.
