If college soccer had a mercy rule, Thursday night’s opener for the No. 4 UNC men’s soccer team might have been stopped at halftime. After 45 of 90 minutes had ticked off the clock, the Tar Heels had put 5 goals past the Bucknell Bison.
Carolina got started early, with fifth-year senior Alex Rose’s opening goal coming less than five minutes into the game.
UNC’s subsequent scoring was not in the rapid fire style of Germany’s famous 7-1 victory over Brazil in the semifinals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, in which the Germans scored four goals in the span of six minutes. Rather, the Tar Heels steadily pressed their attack, adding on goals every few minutes.
14 minutes gone? Junior midfielder Cameron Fisher decided to have a strike, netting a perfectly-timed volley to double Carolina’s lead.
20 minutes gone? Fifth-year forward Santiago Herrera’s turn, as he headed in UNC’s third goal from point-blank range.
Sophomore forward Ernest Bawa’s goal served as the highlight of a highlight-filled half, as Bawa chested down a pass from defender Joe Pickering before sending the ball rocketing into the roof of the net. After a 2020-21 season in which the Tar Heel didn’t score more than three goals in a game, they now had four within 37 minutes.
Graduate midfielder Chris Sullivan put away a rebound with under under four minutes remaining in the half to up Carolina’s lead to 5-0. It’d be good enough for any team to call it a night, but there were still 45 minutes left.
Bucknell switched goalies in the second half, but Carolina’s attack did not relent. Sullivan scored his second goal in just 14 minutes of game time, extending the Tar Heel lead to 6-0 in the 56th minute.
Junior forward Jonathan Jimenez’s penalty kick with 16 minutes remaining secured Carolina’s seventh and final score of the night. It’s the most goals the program has scored in a game since 2016.
Bucknell couldn’t manage a consolation goal, and the game ended with a 7-0 score.
The extra statistics are staggering: 24 shots for Carolina, and only a pair for Bucknell. Eight fouls committed by Carolina, and a whopping 17 by the Bison. The Tar Heels also took 12 corner kicks. Bucknell didn’t take a single one.
It’s hard to imagine a more positive start for a UNC program with championship ambitions this fall, but head coach Carlos Somoano’s team has little time to rest on their laurels. The Tar Heels will be right back in action Sunday night at 7:30 p.m. in Chapel Hill when VCU comes to town.
The Rams are coming off quite an impressive result of their own: a 2-0 road win over No. 7 Wake Forest.
Hoping for an encore seven-goal performance might be a little optimistic. Come Sunday night, the Tar Heels will be on upset alert.
Featured image via Carolina Athletics
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