Minutes after the final buzzer sounded in the Saturday afternoon contest at UNC Lacrosse Stadium, North Carolina first-year attackman Nicky Solomon and Syracuse senior attackman Nate Solomon posed together for pictures.
The brothers were surrounded by about 30 family members and friends, many of whom made the trip from their hometown of Alpharetta, Ga. and sported custom-made T-shirts that displayed the Solomons’ jersey numbers and logos of both programs. After No. 18 UNC’s 12-9 loss to No. 9 Syracuse, Nate couldn’t help but brag a little to his younger brother the first chance he got.
“He just told me, he goes, ‘Yeah, I had one more point than you,’” Nicky laughed. “Because I guess he’s counting in his head, which is kinda the competitive side we always have.”
Both the Solomons scored multiple times: Nate led the Orange (8-3, 2-2 ACC) with a team-leading three goals and Nicky tied for a team-leading two goals for the Tar Heels (7-5, 1-2 ACC).
Only three years apart in age, the two grew up playing on the same lacrosse teams, most notably playing one season together at Centennial High School in Alpharetta, Ga. Even as teammates, their relationship remained competitive, and they’d always push each other to work harder.
As strong as his bond with his older brother is, Nicky said he attempted to treat Nate like any other opponent when he stepped onto the field for the first time on Saturday.
“I tried like not to recognize that he was my brother out there,” Nicky said. “Which is kinda hard. I guess we just played our own games.”
When Syracuse scored its second goal just 3:26 into the game, it was Nicky who put an end to the Orange’s short-lived scoring run. UNC senior attackman Andy Matthews connected with Nicky on a pass from behind the goal, and the first-year put the ball in the back of the net to give the Tar Heels their first goal.