A doubleheader on Dorrance Field Thursday led to a pair of victories for Carolina’s soccer programs.

No. 5 UNC women’s soccer picked up a 3-0 win over North Dakota in the earlier matchup, dominating with their defense and handing the Fighting Hawks their first loss of the season. Carolina, which moved to 5-0, held North Dakota to no shots across the entire match while racking up 41 themselves — 13 of which were on target.

Freshman midfielder Bella Gaetino opened the scoring for UNC in the 16th minute after receiving an assist from junior attacker Kate Faasse coming off a corner kick. In a crowded penalty box, Gaetino collected the lifted pass and fired a left-footed shot toward the top of the net to beat the keeper and tally her third goal of the season.

Despite not finding another goal in the first half, Carolina’s pressure paid off with two more in the second frame. A foul in the box set up the Tar Heels for a penalty kick in the 65th minute, which senior forward Bella Sember slotted into the lower left corner. UNC’s third goal came in the 76th minute thanks to build-up play on the left flank. A cross from Tessa Dellarose was met by Faasse, whose header glanced off the right post to score. With the goal, the Phoenix, AZ. native now leads the team in the scoring with four goals on the young season.

UNC men’s soccer also scored three goals — but had to do so in comeback fashion. The No. 17 Tar Heels found themselves trailing 1-0 to Florida International at halftime after the Panthers scored in the 24th minute. FIU striker Michael Appiah collected a deflection off of two Carolina defenders to spark a fast break and shoot into an open net after maneuvering around the keeper. The Tar Heels subsequently fired three on-target shots at FIU goalkeeper Nigel Van Haveren, who saved them all.

It was not until the 76th minute that Carolina found the back of the net — but once the Tar Heels’ did, they scored in a flurry. Graduate forward Martin Vician dashed to the near post to fire in a header off a corner kick to tie the game, and he put UNC ahead 2-1 just seconds later. The Tar Heels won possession from the Panthers shortly after play restarted at midfield, and midfielder Juan Caffaro fed a pass to Vician, who dribbled into the penalty box and shot past a charging Van Haveren. The goals were Vician’s second and third on the season, and marked the seventh go-ahead goal in his career.

A third Tar Heel goal followed three minutes later, as freshman forward Bertil Hansen scored his first collegiate goal off a feed in the penalty box from Carolina’s Ahmad Al-Qaq. The 3-1 victory moved UNC to 2-0-1 on the season.

Women’s soccer will suit up at Dorrance Field again on Sunday to host Seton Hall, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. The men’s team will next be in action on Monday, hosting East Tennessee State at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Carolina Nike Classic showcase.

 

Featured photo via the Carolina Athletic Department.

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