A spot in the Men’s Soccer College Cup is on the line Saturday night when North Carolina visits No. 2 seed UCLA in the NCAA Quarterfinals. The match will be televised by the Pac-12 Networks starting at 8 p.m. ET.
North Carolina (15-5-1) reached the quarterfinals for the 10th time in school history with a 2-1 win last Sunday at seventh-seed Clemson. Rob Lovejoy scored both goals for the Tar Heels, sending Carolina to the Elite 8 for the sixth time in the last seven years.
Lovejoy was named National Player of the Week by Top Drawer Soccer for his efforts last weekend in the victory over the Tigers.
Unlike Carolina who will play its third-straight road match this weekend, UCLA (13-4-4) has enjoyed the comforts of home with victories over San Diego and 15th-seed California at Marshall Field at Drake Stadium. The Bruins have advanced to the quarterfinals for the fourth time in the past six seasons.
MAC HERMANN SEMIFINALISTS
UNC senior forward Andy Craven was named a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy. He leads the nation with eight game-winning goals, and tops the ACC with 14 goals and 33 points.
UCLA senior midfielder Leo Stolz was also one of the 16 players nationwide named to the list. He has totaled nine goals, six assists and 24 points in 2014.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
UCLA AND UNC are ranked 1-2 this week according to Top Drawer Soccer. The Bruins finished the regular season No. 3 in the NSCAA Coaches Poll and garnered the top RPI ranking this season.
AND SO WE MEET AGAIN
Carolina suffered a 1-0 setback to then No. 1 ranked UCLA on Sunday, Aug. 31 during the opening weekend of the 2014 campaign.
Saturday also marks just the second meeting between the two clubs in the NCAA Championship. UNC advanced past the Bruins by penalty kicks in the 2011 College Cup semifinals in Hoover, Ala. Lovejoy scored in the second half to send the match into overtime. The Tar Heels would capture its second national title with a 1-0 win over Charlotte in the championship match.
FINISHING STRONG
Carolina has a 10-1-1 record over its last 12 matches. The Tar Heels have outscored its opponents by a 35-8 margin in the 12 games. Craven has 10 goals and 24 points over this stretch, while Tyler Engel has 13 points, followed by Lovejoy with 12 points and Verneri Valimaa with 10.
TOP SCORING TEAM IN COLLEGE SOCCER
UNC leads the country with 49 goals and 149 points this season. The Tar Heels are also second nationally with 7.1 points and 2.33 goals per game, and 51 assists.
HITTING THE BACK OF THE NET
Carolina is led on offense by a trio of fifth-year senior forwards – Craven, Engel and Lovejoy have combined for 75 goals in their collegiate careers. Craven tops the group with 30 goals (20 with UNC and 10 at College of Charleston), Engel has 25 career goals (13 at UNC and 12 in two seasons at SMU) and Lovejoy has all 20 of his goals with the Tar Heels.
UP NEXT
The winner of UNC-UCLA will take on either Michigan State or Providence in the College Cup semifinals on Friday, Dec. 12 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. UNC has reached the College Cup six times in program history, while UCLA has advanced to the final four 13 times.
– News release