Men's Soccer Upsets #4 North Carolina, 3-0 Chants Earn First 20-Win Season in Program History
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The ninth-ranked Coastal Carolina men's soccer team defeated fourth-seeded North Carolina, 2-0, in the second round of the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship Wednesday, Nov. 26, at Fetzer Field in Chapel Hill. With the win and the shutout, the Chanticleers advance to 20-2 on the season, earning the most wins in a season in program history, and also breaking the single-season shutout record with 14. Coastal also now leads the nation in wins.
North Carolina opened up the attack early-on, with junior Marcus Storey (Missouri City, Texas/Elkins) missing two early chances at the three- and four-minute marks, shooting wide right on the first one and the second one just clearing the cross bar.
The Chants got on the board soon after, however, as junior Mubarike Chisoni (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe/Chegutu) drilled the ball into the UNC net at the 9:33 mark, taking a pass from junior Itayi Pondwa (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe/Mpopma) 30 yards out and sailing it over the heads of Carolina's defenders and the outstretched arms of keeper Justin Hughes (Wake Forest, N.C./Wakefield).
The Chanticleers had several chances to score in the remainder of the period, outshooting the Heels five to seven, but were unable to connect, taking the 1-0 lead into the halftime break.
Twelve minutes into the second period, UNC missed two more scoring opportunities as junior Tim Merritt tried for two point-blank shots amongst a mass of Coastal players in the right side of the box. The first was saved by Chisoni, and the second was deflected by junior keeper Andy Paxton (Wigan, England/Hawkley Hall).
Coastal then bumped its lead to 2-0 with 27:36 left on the clock in the second period as Boyzzz Khumalo (Soweto, South Africa/Bethlehem) chased a ball up the left side of the pitch and crossed it to Joseph Ngwenya (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe/Provincial), who headed it in from five yards out. Ngwenya, who leads the nation in points per game, now has 19 goals on the season.
Sophomore Jordie Hughes (Victoria, British Columbia/Spectrum) netted his 19th goal of the season 19 minutes later off a deflected shot by Ngwenya, putting the Chants up 3-0 and securing the victory and shutout.
Paxton grabbed three saves while in the net for the Chants, and UNC's Hughes recorded five during the 90 minutes. Total shots were even between the two teams at 12 apiece, and Coastal held a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks.
The victory marks the first time that CCU has won two games in the tournament, and also the first time that Coastal has beaten the Tar Heels, who end their season at 12-4-4. Coastal advances to the third round to take on the Santa Clara Broncos, Sun., Nov. 30 at 1 p.m. (PST).
