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University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Akron
Akron Advances Past Carolina On Penalties
December 11, 2009 | Men's Soccer
Dec. 11, 2009
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CARY, N.C. - Senior goalkeeper Brooks Haggerty matched a career high with seven saves, and No. 5 seed North Carolina played top-seeded and unbeaten Akron to a scoreless draw, however, the Zips bested the Tar Heels, 5-4, in penalty kicks Friday in the semifinals of the NCAA College Cup at WakeMed Soccer Park.
Akron (23-0-1) advances to face No. 2 seed Virginia Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPN2 in the national title match. Despite playing a man down for the final 40 minutes after defender Brett King picked up his second yellow card, Carolina (16-2-4) snapped the Zips' 23-game winning streak but fellow short of advancing to a second straight NCAA final.
After battling for 110 minutes of scoreless soccer, both teams converted their first two PK chances with All-Americas Michael Farfan and Zach Loyd finding the back of the net for the Tar Heels. After Jordan Graye missed high on UNC's third chance, Akron connected on its final three attempts to advance. Blair Gavin made the decisive penalty after Drew McKinney and Kirk Urso deposited their chances for Carolina.
Akron outshot the Tar Heels by a 14-12 margin, but Haggerty and the UNC defense shut out the Zips for the first time this season. Haggerty recorded seven saves for the second time in his career, matching his effort against Wake Forest in last year's NCAA semifinal victory. Haggerty wraps up his senior season with a career-best 10 shutouts and six clean sheets in nine postseason starts.
Akron keeper David Meves made six saves, and defender Ben Speas cleared a ball off the line in the 108th minute to help send the match to penalties.
With overtime No. 2 winding to a close, Carolina nearly won it in the final minutes of the second overtime when Farfan sent a 25-yard chip towards the net that was tipped over the crossbar by Meves. On the corner kick that followed, Kirk Urso found Jordan Graye's head at the top of the box, but Speas headed the shot off the line to prevent the game-winning goal. Meves followed with a save on a rebound shot by Enzo Martinez to send the game to PKs.
Early in regulation, both teams took shots in the first 1:04 of action and settled in from there until Haggerty turned away a pair of Akron chances midway through the opening half. After a UNC foul just outside the box, Akron's Anthony Ampaipitakwong put a 19-yard free kick on frame, but Haggerty dove to his left to pick up his first of seven saves.
Kofi Sarkodie got a head on the insuring corner kick, but Haggerty again came up with the ball to end the scoring threat.
In the 27th minute, Urso sent a bending shot off a short corner kick on goal, but it was poked away by Meves. The Zips finished with a 5-4 edge in shots in the opening period.
UNC broke through with a flurry about 10 minutes into the second half, sparked by Martinez off the bench. He took successive shots in the 60th minute, and Urso added a shot wide from distance just two minutes later. He followed 10 minutes later with a blast from 25 yards that was saved by Meves.
Akron regained a bit of momentum for the remainder of regulation, and Teal Bunbury had a breakaway chance in the 75th minute that was turned away by a diving Haggerty.
In the first overtime, neither team managed much offensively with the exception of a shot from Scott Caldwell that Haggerty stopped with his fingertips.
Carolina wraps up its season with a 16-2-4 record. The Tar Heels advanced to three NCAA College Cups this decade and won the 2001 national title.
