August 23, 2009

EARLY SCORE SENDS NO. 2 NORTH CARLOINA PAST VCU, 1-0, IN EXHIBITION MATCH

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – For the second time in three days, the Virginia Commonwealth University men’s soccer team battled an Atlantic Coast Conference foe to the wire in a hard-fought preseason match.

But a goal in the 14th minute was all second-ranked North Carolina would need as the Tar Heels defeated the Rams, 1-0, on Sunday in VCU’s second exhibition contest of the 2009 season.

North Carolina’s Kirk Urso sent a 35-yard free kick into the box where Stephen McCarthy’s header sailed to the right of VCU goalkeeper Gabriel Rodriguez (Guatemala City, Mexico), who made his second-straight start for the Rams, at 13:11 to give the Tar Heels an early 1-0 advantage.

North Carolina came on strong again late in the first half but Jackson Van Arsdale (Richmond, Va.), who saw 35 minutes of action in the net, came up with two of his 10 saves to halt the Tar Heels’ threat and keep the Rams within a goal at the break.

North Carolina’s offense was on display for much of the game, particularly in the second period, outshooting the Rams 13-1 after intermission.  However, the VCU defense held strong in consecutive games to keep the Tar Heels from finding the net a second time.

VCU made a strong push to tie the game on two occasions late in the match.  Midfielder Owusu Seykere (Suame-Kumasi, Ghana) fired off a shot but North Carolina keeper Scott Goodwin came up with save before securing a long VCU free kick into the box in the final minute of regulation to seal the game.

The Rams will entertain instate rival Virginia Tech in the team’s final exhibition match at Sports Backers Stadium on Friday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m.  VCU opens the 2009 regular season against St. Francis (N.Y.) in the first of two games at the Coastal Carolina Tournament on Friday, Sept. 4.