A late penalty kick goal sunk Carolina against visiting Cal, 2-1, in the opening round of the ACC Tournament at Dorrance Field on Wednesday night.
The Tar Heels took an early lead on a Luke Hille goal in the seventh minute and held that advantage through halftime, but Cal flipped the match midway through the second half. A goal in the 64th minute leveled the score before a replay review of a foul awarded the Golden Bears a penalty kick in the 78th minute. Cal’s Alfredo Ortiz converted to give the visitors a 2-1 lead. Carolina only managed one more shot on goal in the final moments.
The two teams finished level on shots on goal (5-5), with Carolina holding a slim 14-10 edge in total shots. The Tar Heels and Golden Bears also combined for 21 fouls and 14 corner kicks.
The loss is UNC’s second in a row and drops the Tar Heels to 9-4-4 overall entering NCAA Tournament play. Carolina has won just one of its last six ACC matches, losing four and tying once. The team will now await its NCAA Tournament assignment, which will be revealed during the selection show on Monday, November 18 at 1 p.m.
Featured image via UNC Men’s Soccer on Twitter
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 newsletter.
Related Stories
‹
UNC Men's Soccer Routs William & Mary in Non-Conference FinaleA hat trick from Joschi Schelb helped UNC throttle William & Mary 6-0 at Dorrance Field Tuesday night. It was the final non-conference match of the regular season for the Tar Heels. FT | 6-0 Heels 🙌 UNC cruises past William & Mary to extend its unbeaten streak to seven, including six wins!#GoHeels x @WellsFargo […]
This Week in UNC Sports: October 26-November 1, 2026This 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. The week of Halloween means several UNC sports will be wrapping up their […]
UNC Soccer: Women Beat No. 7 Stanford, Men Draw at DukeBoth UNC soccer teams were in action Friday night. At Dorrance Field, the Tar Heel women rebounded from a loss at Wake Forest with a 1-0 win vs. No. 7 Stanford, while over in Durham the men played to a 2-2 draw at Duke. In the women’s match, Bella Devey’s goal in the 70th minute […]
This Week in UNC Sports: October 19-25, 2026This 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. October will roll on with another very busy week of Tar Heel sports. […]
UNC Sports: Field Hockey, Men's Soccer, Volleyball All Earn ACC WinsIt was a successful Friday evening for multiple UNC sports teams, as the field hockey, men’s soccer and volleyball squads each earned big wins in ACC action. In field hockey, the Tar Heels returned home to Karen Shelton Stadium for the first time in almost a month and celebrated the occasion with a 4-0 win […]
This Week in UNC Sports: October 12-18More and more of UNC's winter sports are beginning their seasons as we hit the middle of October, and "crossover season" is upon us.
UNC Men's Soccer Scores 7 Goals in Historic Blowout Win vs. Notre DameAfter allowing the first goal of the match against Notre Dame Saturday night at Dorrance Field, UNC scored seven unanswered to romp past the Fighting Irish and win 7-1. It’s Carolina’s highest-scoring match since 2021 and its highest-scoring performance against an ACC team since 2000. FT | 7-1 Heels 🐏 The Tar Heels thumped Notre […]
UNC Men's Soccer Beats Boston College for 3rd Consecutive WinJoschi 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 HomestandUNC 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, 2026This 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 […]
›
