Stadium Impresses Former Champions

Played at SAS Stadium in Cary with 2,005 in attendance, the game was an exhibition between the last two national champions. The "Clash of the Champions" is a game that Geoff Griffin, chairman of the board of the Capital Area Soccer League, hopes to make a tradition.

But he won't stop there. "We want to bring in as many events as we can, local, regional and national," he said.

Construction for SAS began in April 2001 and finished a year later. Since then, the men's and women's U.S. National Teams have practiced at the facility, and the Carolina Courage, 2002 WUSA champions, play their home games there.

This year, the men's ACC tournament will be held at SAS, which seats 7,000. It also will host the women's final four in 2003 and 2004.

The creation of the stadium stems from an annual Capital League tournament of over 300 boys' teams held in Cary. Since the tournament brought in more than $10 million each year to the community of Cary, Wake County officials approved the creation of the SAS.

One of Griffin's goals for the stadium is precocious. "We want to have the UNC men's and women's soccer teams playing here," he said.

Though Fetzer Field, which holds 5,000, is UNC's home, the team's review of the event was encouraging.

Coach Elmar Bolowich thinks the Clash will be good for men's soccer.

"The idea, the concept is wonderful," he said. "They need to do something in college soccer to promote our sport, and that's one way of promoting it."

Ryan Kneipper, who scored UNC's first goal, gave SAS his stamp of approval. "I would say it's one of the best facilities I've played at in the country," he said.

The bleachers are close to, and surround, the SAS field. In addition, the complex has six full-length, manicured fields.

In comparison, Fetzer Field is surrounded by a track and has a single grandstand on one side of the field. It has one distinct advantage -- it's on campus.

For now, the UNC games will remain there, but the team will return to SAS next year for the second Clash.

Although Griffin was cryptic in explaining how the exhibition will continue if UNC is to repeat as national champion, Bolowich said that's not a problem that worries him.

"It's great," Bolowich said. "We have the facility here; fortunately, we are close by as national champions. I don't know if that's going to continue. I hope it will."

The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu.