UNC men's soccer's postseason uncertain after first round exit in ACC tournament

Unanswered questions linger over the North Carolina men's soccer team's end-of-season collapse.

How has a team structured around defense failed to deliver in the biggest moment of the match, three times in a row?

To head coach Carlos Somoano, there is no explanation.

“I don’t know how I could possibly answer that question,” he said. 

And just like after losing the season finale to Boston College last Friday, the players weren’t given the opportunity to help Somoano answer for what happened.

With No. 6-seeded UNC’s 2-1 loss to No. 11-seeded California in the first round of the ACC tournament, uncertainty creeps in toward North Carolina’s standing in the NCAA tournament field. The third consecutive home loss leaves fate to be the only entity still playing for the Tar Heels — since what UNC could control on Wednesday night, they didn’t. 

A lack of focus led to the equalizer in the 64th minute. After leading for nearly an hour, North Carolina fell asleep at the wheel. 

Cal used a deep throw-in to hoist a floated cross into the 18-yard box while half of the Tar Heel defenders had their backs turned. Before they could react, Cal's Malcolm Zalayet met the throw with a bicycle kick that found the back of UNC’s net. 

The threat of deep throw-ins was not only written on the scouting report, but something the Tar Heels were supposedly alert to all season long, according to Somoano. 

Failure to recognize and defend the play before it was too late allowed Cal back into the match at a time when UNC has historically been most susceptible this season.

In all four losses of the year, the Tar Heels have conceded the game-winning goal with less than 15 minutes to play. And once the clock entered North Carolina’s witching hour, UNC once again fell under the spell. 

This time, not from a lack of effort, but carelessness. An overzealous tackle in the box by graduate midfielder Jameson Charles, which had initially not been called, turned out to be a penalty kick upon video review. The Golden Bears — who hadn’t been awarded a penalty all season — converted from the spot in what ended up being the game-winning goal. 

“No excuses,” Somoano said. “Gotta make your plays.” 

By the arrival of the final whistle, reality began to set in for North Carolina. Prior to Wednesday’s result, the Tar Heels were fifth in the RPI rankings. However, three losses over the past four games — two against teams likely to miss the NCAA tournament — will have a large effect on UNC’s ability to host a playoff game, or even make the NCAA tournament. 

“If we are able to get in, our seed drops dramatically,” Somoano said bluntly. 

The team will have to wait for the NCAA selection show on Monday, Nov. 18 to find out how far they’ve dropped.

In the meantime, remaining questions about UNC’s shortcomings must be answered if the Tar Heels are given a chance to play for the College Cup. 

@cadeshoemaker23

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com