North Carolina men’s soccer gets another shot at home Saturday night, with Lipscomb coming to Dorrance Field at Play2Dream Legacy Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
The Tar Heels are trying to respond after a 2-1 loss to No. 21 Clemson last Saturday.
Lipscomb arrives with momentum, riding a two-game winning streak. Carolina is 2-2-3, while the Bisons are 3-4-1.
The matchup is only the second meeting between the programs. Carolina won the first one, a 3-0 result in Nashville last year.
Saturday also brings a few extras for the crowd. It’s kids club night, the first 400 students will get a free T-shirt, and it’s a Fever game, with students earning +2 Fever points for attending.
Fans can watch on ACCNX, with Dean Linke and Cedric Burke on the call.
Head coach Carlos Somoano is in his 16th season leading Carolina soccer and his 25th overall. He owns a career record of 187-70-58.
There’s been plenty of buzz around the roster, too. Carolina’s transfer class of Nick Lockermann, Nico Loebus, Joschi Schelb and Ryan Zellefrow was ranked No. 2 by TopDrawerSoccer, while the incoming freshman class checked in at No. 14.
Schelb has been one of the early standouts, scoring in five of the seven matches so far this season. Zellefrow picked up his first goal for UNC against Stanford.
Luca Nikolai, drafted by NYCFC, chose to return to Carolina to finish his college career and has already delivered two penalty goals and an assist this season.
Carolina also had six players on the Hermann Trophy Watch Lists. Lockermann made the defenders list, while Evans Dapaah, Loebus, Nikolai, Schelb and Zellefrow were named to the midfielders list, with Schelb set to play forward this season.
In goal, Alan Rutkowski has stepped into the starting role after four years with Andrew Cordes handling the position. The Elmwood, N.J. native spent last season behind Cordes after his club days with the New York Red Bulls.
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Tar Heels Open ACC Play With A Road Win Fans Will Notice
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The Tar Heels set a season high with 15 blocks, a sign that their front line was dictating stretches of the night and making NC State work for nearly every point. Jackie Taylor and Bridget Malone were among the players who helped turn that into a road win Carolina will want to build on as the league schedule starts to tighten. [Read more 🡒]
UNCs Bye Week Just Made Its Quarterback Decision Feel Urgent
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Miles O'Neill, the Texas A&M transfer, is now part of a decision that feels more immediate than it did a week ago. The staff has to weigh whether continuity gives UNC the best chance to steady itself or whether a change at quarterback could provide the spark it needs heading into the next stretch of games, and the uncertainty alone has made the bye week feel anything but quiet. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Malone May Have Revealed Isaiah Denis UNC Role
Michael Malone has already offered a small glimpse into how Isaiah Denis might fit with North Carolina this season, and it starts with a nickname. The Tar Heels coach has been calling the sophomore guard Bones, a nod to former Denver Nuggets guard Bones Hyland, while also using Denis at point guard in practice. For a player whose freshman year was slowed by injury, that is a meaningful sign of trust and a reminder that the staff sees more than just another guard in the rotation.
The point-guard work matters because it hints at a larger backcourt role, one that could let Denis operate as a versatile perimeter threat rather than a one-position option. If the comparison to Hyland is any indication, North Carolina may be preparing to lean on Denis for shot-making, pace and creativity as he gets healthier and settles in. The exact shape of that role is still unfolding, but the early usage suggests the Tar Heels have a clear plan in mind. [Read more 🡒]