CARY — The North Carolina men's soccer team hadn't scored three goals in more than a month. They hadn't taken more than 13 shots since then either. But with one slight flick of the ball that all changed.
It's the night before the biggest game of the season for the North Carolina men's soccer team. As a steady drizzle falls at Fetzer Field the team scrimmages.The team's focus Monday is evident right from the start — the Tar Heels clearly know their chance to prove themselves is close at hand.
North Carolina women's basketball forward Jessica Breland held her position in the post as she yelled for the ball. As the Tar Heel perimeter players swung the ball around the top of the key Breland continued to shuffle her feet until she arrived just outside the lane. She again demanded a pass until the ball came to her hands.
Just more than 18 minutes into the second half a through ball in front of North Carolina's 18-yard-box forced goalkeeper Jacob Wescoe to charge off his line. No Tar Heel defenders were in a position to help with the clearance leaving Wescoe in a kind of no man's land.
For four years North Carolina men's soccer player Brian Shriver played forward. He tallied an array of goals assists and awards ranging from All-State to All-America. Thing was all these achievements occurred at Clearwater High School in Florida. Because when he arrived in Chapel Hill the Sunshine State native moved to the midfielder slot — a position he's held for the past two years. Although Shriver played sparingly at forward during this time it took until this past offseason for head coach Elmar Bolowich to transition him back to striker.
It's a fall afternoon practice at Finley Fields and the North Carolina men's soccer team is in the midst of an 11 vs. 11 scrimmage. The ball pings around the field until it arrives on the right foot of sophomore Cameron Brown 30 yards from goal.
Sheanon Williams stood on the endline his No. 20 North Carolina soccer jersey pulled up just under his nostrils. Two times in a row the first-year center back had missed golden opportunities with only 11 minutes to play in regulation.
The North Carolina men's soccer team learned firsthand this weekend that the ball doesn't always bounce in its favor. Following a 4-1 beatdown of Liberty last Tuesday the squad headed to Boston College on Friday with an undefeated record.
Cameron Brown's No. 15 North Carolina soccer jersey was tarnished with grass stains and it wasn't because he hadn't washed his uniform recently. Rather it was because he along with virtually all his teammates had spent much of the Tar Heels' game against N.C. State on his back.
Maybe it was the weather-delayed start. Maybe it was the white jersey tops instead of the usual Carolina blue. Maybe it was the lack of a band and a raucous student section. Because whatever the North Carolina men's soccer team had in its 3-0 victory against Florida International it took 96 minutes to find against Virginia Commonwealth (0-2) on Sunday.
