A goal in the 82nd minute was all the UNC men’s soccer team needed to stave off Boston College in the first round of the ACC Tournament Wednesday night. Junior Ernest Bawa headed home the game-winner off a corner kick to send Carolina into the second round.

Bawa’s goal was the culmination of a steady offensive effort by the Tar Heels, one which saw them take 16 shots to Boston College’s five. Six of Carolina’s 16 shots were on goal, but BC goalkeeper Brennan Klein had frustrated each and every attempt until Bawa’s breakthrough.

The Eagles very nearly forced extra time in the final minute, as BC’s Diego Ochoa sent a screaming shot toward the Carolina net from distance. UNC senior goalkeeper Marco Saborio-Perez, possibly playing his final home match as a Tar Heel, leapt to his left to make the save, his first of the match after 89 minutes.

The 1-0 result is UNC’s first ACC win since early October. The winless streak since then included a 1-1 tie at Boston College on October 21. Carolina, the No. 7 seed in the conference tournament, will now advance to the second round of play and travel to No. 2 seed Syracuse. It’s a rematch of an ACC Tournament match from last season, when Carolina defeated Syracuse with a penalty kick in extra time. This year’s match will take place on Sunday at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ACC Network.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jeffrey A. Camarati

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
UNC Men's Soccer Beats Boston College for 3rd Consecutive Win
Joschi Schelb recorded a brace within the match’s first 22 minutes to help UNC earn a 3-1 road win at Boston College Sunday afternoon. It’s the Tar Heels’ third consecutive win and first in ACC play this season. 3️⃣ on the trot for your Heels 👌 UNC wins their third straight with a comprehensive victory […]
UNC Men's Soccer Beats West Florida to Cap Dorrance Field Homestand
UNC controlled possession for much of the game and held West Florida to just two shots on target in a 2-0 win at Dorrance Field Wednesday night. It marked the first time this season the Tar Heels had won consecutive matches. FT | 2-0 Heels UNC handled West Florida behind goals from Faraji Ramani and […]
This Week in UNC Sports: September 21-27, 2026
This series of posts will be made weekly on Chapelboro with a full schedule of UNC sports contests, both in Chapel Hill and elsewhere. Note that game times and broadcast information are subject to change due to inclement weather or other factors. It’s a lighter week for UNC sports as we approach the end of […]
UNC Sports: Women's Soccer Wins; Men's Soccer, Field Hockey Both Lose
It was a busy weekend across the UNC sports spectrum, as both soccer teams and the field hockey team were in action late Saturday and early Sunday. The women’s soccer team continued its hot streak with a blowout win, while the men’s soccer and field hockey teams each suffered conference losses. The men’s team took […]
UNC Men's Soccer Shuts Out American at Dorrance Field
A dominant UNC effort held visiting American without a single shot on target in a 2-0 win at Dorrance Field Tuesday night. Job done ☑️ UNC dominates American and comes away with three points to improve to 2-1-3! The Heels are back in action Saturday night when we host No. 21 Clemson at 7 pm. […]
This Week in UNC Sports: September 14-20, 2026
The upcoming week offers several high-caliber matchups for multiple UNC teams both at home and on the road.
UNC Men's Soccer Earns Draw vs. No. 1 Stanford in Chapel Hill
Goals from UNC’s Ryan Zellefrow and Luca Nikolai helped the Tar Heels play to a 2-2 draw against No. 1 Stanford at Dorrance Field Friday night. Zellefrow’s goal in the 13th minute was Carolina’s first shot of the night. It came against the run of play, as Stanford had manufactured the first two chances of […]
UNC Soccer: Women Win at Arizona State, Men Draw at Cal
Both the UNC men’s and women’s soccer teams were playing out west Sunday. The women used a penalty kick goal to beat Arizona State 1-0 in Tempe, while the men battled to a 2-2 draw against Cal in Berkeley. On the women’s side, the Tar Heels and Sun Devils combined for just seven total shots […]
UNC Men's Soccer Defeats VCU for First Win of 2026 Season
An early goal from Nick Lockermann was all UNC needed to secure a 1-0 victory against VCU at Dorrance Field Friday night. It was Carolina’s first win and clean sheet of the season. Carolina Victory 🙌 The Heels kept a clean sheet and Nick Lockermann’s first-half blast gives UNC its first win of the young […]
UNC Men's Soccer Falls Behind Early, Loses at Memphis
UNC allowed two goals in a span of less than two minutes in the first half at Memphis Monday night, and the Tar Heels couldn’t recover from that early deficit in a 3-2 loss to the Tigers. Memphis’ Eben McIntyre scored the match’s opening goal in the 13th minute on the first shot of the […]
›