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University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
VCU
No. 4 Carolina Claims 1-0 Win At VCU
October 26, 2010 | Men's Soccer
Oct. 26, 2010
RICHMOND, Va. - It was a tale of two halves Tuesday night in Richmond, Va. but the Tar Heels came through with the lone goal in a 1-0 win at VCU. Redshirt freshman Josh Rice netted the game winner in the 32nd minute when he scored his second goal of the year off a pass from Robbie Lovejoy. Up next for the Tar Heels is their last non-conference match of the season at East Tennessee State on Saturday at 6 p.m. Carolina will be looking to extend its unbeaten streak to nine games.
Kirk Urso tested the Rams' Josh Pantazelos less than five minutes into the contest as he forced Pantazelos into a save at the 4:43 mark in the opening half. Enzo Martinez tested the keeper less than six minutes later but Pantazelos was equal to the task once again.
Martinez ripped a shot again at the 30:52 mark but it sailed wide for a goal kick. VCU did not have the ball long though as the Tar Heels regained possession and made a run that resulted in Rice's second goal of the year.
Freshman Robbie Lovejoy made it five points in three games when he found the streaking Rice who deposited the ball into the open net putting Carolina in front 1-0. with less than 15 minutes to play in the first half.
The Tar Heels continued to press forward for the remainder of the half and finished with a 9-2 advantage in shots and an 8-0 edge in corner kicks but were unable to pad their lead.
The Rams came out firing in the second half equaling their shot total from the first half in the opening 12 minutes of the second. Jason Johnson nearly equalized in the 68th minute but sophomore goalkeeper Scott Goodwin was up to the challenge and made the save to keep Carolina in front 1-0.
The Tar Heels regained control late in the contest and Alex Dixon nearly made it 2-0 with less than a minute to play but his shot went high as the clock ticked down and gave Carolina its 12th win of the season.
Goodwin earned his seventh clean sheet of the year in the win as he turned away two shots on the night. The Raleigh, N.C., native has allowed just two goals in the last six contests and has been a key factor in Carolina's eight-game unbeaten streak.
