ACC-omplishment

It took forty-seven seconds.

It was less than a minute after first-year Chris Lebo came on the field for the North Carolina men's soccer team that he scored the equalizer — and provided the team the spark it needed to notch a 2-1 win against N.C. State on Friday.

After a first half full of missed opportunities and shots that flew just over the bar" Lebo came on just in time to bury a shot into the lower left corner of N.C. State's goal.

""He's an energetic player" and he definitely gave us that extra boost that we thrive on and that we needed" midfielder Garry Lewis said.

The equalizer was the first goal of Lebo's Tar Heel career, and Lewis followed with a score headed in off a corner during the first overtime to secure the win.

It's a relief" coach Elmar Bolowich said. We are starting our season 4-0-1 and we have our first win in the ACC. And those games are hard to win" as we know.""

UNC does know. Last year the team finished 4-6 in the ACC" with four games decided in overtime.

The Tar Heels struggled to find a decision last year in and out of the conference. Five games ended with a draw" so securing this game in the win column was a welcome change.

""It's always good to get a win" Lewis said. We're getting a little bit more lucky this year and we're definitely more focused" so that helps out a lot.""

Bolowich mentioned luck after the game" as well — particularly the good timing if nothing else" that Lebo came in when he did.

""It was maybe lucky that we made that substitution at that time" but certainly any player coming off the bench can add something he said.

And that's something that we stress to our players that are not starting. We say ‘Hey when you come in" you better be ready and you better add something.'""

On Friday" the bench had plenty to add. After starting striker Brian Shriver left with a hamstring injury" Bolowich drew from his bench and eventually played six of his first-year players in the match.

""Certainly we have some players who are capable of adding some spark up front" and fortunately the guys did that" Bolowich said.

But the Tar Heels came off the field after the first half discouraged and scoreless. Despite outshooting the Wolfpack (0-3-1) by a margin of 7-2, UNC trailed by one at halftime.

N.C. State striker Watt Williams had converted off a rebound, striking the ball into the lower left from about five yards out.

I think the goal came at a point where we had pretty much controlled the game…" and all of a sudden they score a goal and we were sort of like shell-shocked on that one" Bolowich said. But we just had to find a way to bounce back.""

And Lebo's goal" 20 minutes into the second half" provided that incentive and helped the Tar Heels keep control for the rest of the match.

""I mean" we changed our mentality a lot coming out in the second half and it helped Lebo said. And if that goal helped" that's fine with me.""



Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.