Looking to end its longest national title drought since the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament began in 1982, the No. 9 UNC women’s soccer team begins its regular season Friday night at Fetzer Field with a game against the University of Central Florida (UCF) Knights.

It’s the first of two games for the Tar Heels this weekend, as they host the Carolina Nike Classic. They’ll also play host to the Charlotte 49ers on Sunday.

For UNC–which have gone three straight years without accomplishing their only goal each season–it will be an important weekend to figure out which new players are primed to step up.

Head coach Anson Dorrance enters his 38th season having lost six of last year’s 11 starters. Three more potential starters for this season may redshirt due to injury or National Team duties.

Cameron Castleberry tore her ACL last November, and may not yet be at full strength for this season. (Jeffrey A. Camarati/ UNC Athletics)

Cameron Castleberry tore her ACL last November, and may not yet be at full strength for this season. (Jeffrey A. Camarati/ UNC Athletics)

This comes after last year’s Tar Heels fell from their No. 1 ranking–and ended up losing in the NCAA Second Round–due to a rash of injuries.

“This season I just don’t know to be quite honest,” Dorrance said in a statement during the offseason. “It’s how well the injured players come back.  It’s how well the freshmen are able to adjust to the collegiate level.

“The freshmen are good,” he continued. “Some of them are incredibly athletic.  Some are incredibly technical and tactical.  So of all the years I’ve coach here coming into the season this is the greatest mystery to me.”

UCF, meanwhile, is coached by former UNC legend Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak. In another interesting bit of history, the Tar Heels defeated the Knights in the sport’s first-ever NCAA Championship Game back in 1982.

Coming off a solid 12-6-2 record in 2015, UCF will surely be looking to build some momentum for its program with an upset over the heavily-favored Tar Heels.

In the end, it’ll likely come down to whether or not UNC can find some early offense. The Tar Heels scored just one first-half goal during their last eight games of 2015, as they watched their season come to a disappointing end.

If this new group of girls can gel together well in the opening minutes, they have the potential to put the pressure on UCF, while also finding some much-needed confidence.

The game is scheduled to begin Friday at 7:30 p.m.

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