CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Second-ranked North Carolina begins ACC play Saturday night at Dorrance Field against No. 7 Virginia in the conference opener for both teams. The game will be streamed on the ACC Network Extra starting at 6 p.m.
The Tar Heels are 30-5 all-time in ACC openers and 10-3 when starting conference play at home. This will be just the third time Carolina (7-1) and Virginia (7-0-1) have faced off to begin league play with UNC winning both previous matchups in 1991 (3-0) and 2000 (6-1).
UNC is coming off a 2-1 come from behind win over UCF on Sunday, while the Cavaliers closed their non-conference schedule with a 0-0 draw against VCU.
The Cavaliers have allowed just one goal in eight games this season, while scoring 27. The Tar Heels have scored 22 total goals and have surrendered four.
Vanderbilt transfer Haley Hopkins leads Virginia with an ACC-high seven goals with Carolina junior Avery Patterson one behind her with a career-best six goals. Patterson leads the ACC in game-winning goals with three.
ALUMNI WEEKEND | Saturday’s game is part of alumni weekend. Former Tar Heels are returning to Chapel Hill this weekend and many of those will be recognized at halftime Saturday. Commemorative posters celebrating the 30th year anniversary of the 1992 undefeated national championship team will be given away.
DEFENSIVE RECOGNITION | Two Tar Heels were recognized for their outstanding performances last week. Junior midfielder Sam Meza was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Week, while senior defender Tori Hansen was named to the CollegeSoccerNews.com Women’s Team of the Week.
PROTECTING THE NET | Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Emmie Allen ranks seventh in NCAA Division I with a 0.200 goals against average and ranks sixth in save percentage (.941). She has allowed one goal in 450 minutes in net the season. She split time with senior Marz Josephson in the first six games but has played all 90 minutes each of the last two games.
SHARING THE WEALTH | Twelve players have combined for 22 assists this year with more than half of those assists courtesy of four players: Emily Colton, Sam Meza, Emily Moxley and Emily Murphy each have three assists this season. At least one player named Emily has had an assist in six of the eight games played this season, including each of the last two. A total of 15 players had an assist last season.
THE SERIES | Carolina leads the all-time series 39-4-5 but only holds a slight 4-3-3 advantage in…
The Tar Heels are 30-5 all-time in ACC openers and 10-3 when starting conference play at home. This will be just the third time Carolina (7-1) and Virginia (7-0-1) have faced off to begin league play with UNC winning both previous matchups in 1991 (3-0) and 2000 (6-1).
UNC is coming off a 2-1 come from behind win over UCF on Sunday, while the Cavaliers closed their non-conference schedule with a 0-0 draw against VCU.
The Cavaliers have allowed just one goal in eight games this season, while scoring 27. The Tar Heels have scored 22 total goals and have surrendered four.
Vanderbilt transfer Haley Hopkins leads Virginia with an ACC-high seven goals with Carolina junior Avery Patterson one behind her with a career-best six goals. Patterson leads the ACC in game-winning goals with three.
ALUMNI WEEKEND | Saturday’s game is part of alumni weekend. Former Tar Heels are returning to Chapel Hill this weekend and many of those will be recognized at halftime Saturday. Commemorative posters celebrating the 30th year anniversary of the 1992 undefeated national championship team will be given away.
DEFENSIVE RECOGNITION | Two Tar Heels were recognized for their outstanding performances last week. Junior midfielder Sam Meza was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Week, while senior defender Tori Hansen was named to the CollegeSoccerNews.com Women’s Team of the Week.
PROTECTING THE NET | Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Emmie Allen ranks seventh in NCAA Division I with a 0.200 goals against average and ranks sixth in save percentage (.941). She has allowed one goal in 450 minutes in net the season. She split time with senior Marz Josephson in the first six games but has played all 90 minutes each of the last two games.
SHARING THE WEALTH | Twelve players have combined for 22 assists this year with more than half of those assists courtesy of four players: Emily Colton, Sam Meza, Emily Moxley and Emily Murphy each have three assists this season. At least one player named Emily has had an assist in six of the eight games played this season, including each of the last two. A total of 15 players had an assist last season.
THE SERIES | Carolina leads the all-time series 39-4-5 but only holds a slight 4-3-3 advantage in…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at University of North Carolina Athletics…