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University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Virginia Tech
No. 4 Tar Heels Claim 3-1 Win Over Virginia Tech
October 22, 2010 | Men's Soccer
Oct. 22, 2010
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Jordan Gafa, Carlos McCrary and Robbie Lovejoy all netted goals for the fourth-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels Friday night as they helped claim at least a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season title for the first time in school history with a 3-1 home win over Virginia Tech. With the win Carolina improves to 11-2-1 on the year and a 6-0-1 mark in the ACC, while the Hokies fall to 4-10-1 overall and 1-4-1 in the ACC.
Kirk Urso and the Tar Heels controlled the action in the early going as Urso blasted a pair of shots within the first eight minutes of the contest. Urso's first shot in the seventh minute challenged Virginia Tech's James Daly into a save before later sending a shot wide less than a minute later.
The Tar Heels garnered four corner kicks in the first 11 minutes but were unable to create any chances from the early opportunities.
Jalil Anibaba tried his luck from 22 yards out at the 15:43 mark as he bent a ball in but his shot sailed just wide of the goal forcing a goal kick.
Next up was freshman Carlos McCrary who made a run in the 19th minute but his blast from inside the box sailed over the crossbar.
McCrary would have another chance two minutes later when Jordan Gafa found him with a great through ball to get the freshman behind the Hokie defense. McCrary's shot from 8 yards out was saved by Daly but Martin Murphy was there for the rebound.
Murphy collected the ball and fed Gafa near the top of the box who deposited it into the back of the net for the opening goal of the contest at the 20:58 mark in the first half.
The Tar Heels threatened a few more times in the remaining 25 minutes but only tested the keeper once when Matt Rose blasted a shot in the 43rd minute that was parried away.
The Hokies came out a different team in the second half and really challenged the Tar Heels. The 60th minute proved to be the turning point, however, as the Tar Heel defense buckled down and forced Virginia Tech to turn the ball over.
Urso gathered the turnover and lifted a ball over the Hokie defense to a streaking McCrary on a counter attack. The Roswell, Ga., native gathered the ball with a pair of defenders behind him, then brought the ball from his left foot to right around Daly and deposited the ball into the goal for his first collegiate goal.
The Hokies would not go quietly into the night as they mounted a comeback in the 69th minute with a goal cutting the deficit in half. Patrick Huang attempted a shot from 25 yards out that Alex Walters jumped in front of, as the ball ricocheted off Walters' back it took a route that caught Scott Goodwin off guard.
The ball tear-dropped over Goodwin who was scrambling back to the line in an attempt to prevent the goal making the score 2-1.
The Hokies nearly found the equalizer in the 79th minute when David Fiorello connected on a header in the back that was headed for the top of the goal. Goodwin rose to the challenge and punched the ball over the bar just in time to force a corner.
The Tar Heels added to their lead in the 88th minute when Robbie Lovejoy tallied for the second time in as many games with a shot from eight yards out. Enzo Martinez fed a ball into Carlos McCrary at the top of the box who dropped it off for the cutting Lovejoy who turned in an excellent finish to cap off the scoring.
Carolina would hold on for the 3-1 win improving to 6-0-1 in ACC play in the process. The Tar Heels now have accumulated 19 points on the year and are six clear of second place Maryland who will take on Wake Forest on Saturday. The Terps can equal the Tar Heels but Carolina's head-to-head win over Maryland gives Carolina the No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament set for Nov. 9-14 at Cary's Wake Med Soccer Park.
Up next for the Tar Heels are a pair of non-conference road tests at VCU on Tuesday (Oct. 26) before a trip to East Tennessee State on Saturday (Oct. 30). Carolina will close out the 2010 regular season on Friday, Nov. 5 when it hosts Clemson at 7 p.m.
