The UNC men’s soccer team celebrated its senior class at Dorrance Field on Friday night, then played No. 18 Virginia to a 2-2 draw in the regular-season finale.

Carolina took the lead early in the match on a goal from Akeim Clarke and doubled that lead just seconds into the second half. This time, Cameron Fisher did the honors by scoring off an assist from Tim Schels, who’d also assisted on Clarke’s goal. It was Fisher’s first goal of the season.

But the UNC lead barely last 10 minutes, as the Cavaliers scored in the 55th and 58th minutes to equalize at 2-2. Virginia withstood withering pressure from Carolina for the rest of the evening, as the Tar Heels out-shot the Cavaliers 7-4 in the second half and 14-4 for the entire match. Virginia’s goalkeeper Holden Brown made two saves in a 13-second span in the 71st minute to deny Carolina of its last and best scoring opportunity of the match.

UNC ends the regular season in somewhat mediocre form, having won only one of its final five matches, losing one and drawing three. The Tar Heels enter the ACC Tournament with a 2-2-4 conference record and 7-4-5 overall record. They will be the No. 7 seed in the tournament and will face No. 10 seed Boston College in the opening round on Wednesday in Chapel Hill. The winner of that match plays at No. 2 seed Syracuse the following Sunday in the second round.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Ainsley E. Fauth

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