Chapel Hill, NC - Fourth-ranked North Carolina scored with three seconds left in regulation time to slip past No. 11 Saint Louis 2-1 this afternoon at Fetzer Field in the final game of the Tar Heels' own Nike Classic. Tar Heels senior forward Ryan Kneipper scored both UNC goals in the last minute of each half.
"On the plus side, we played much better today than we did against Wake Forest on Friday," head coach Dan Donigan said. "But obviously, the late goals are disturbing. We will pinpoint whether the issue is mental or just finishing each half strong physically, and I'm confident that we'll correct that for the rest of season.'
The Billikens started quickly as senior midfielder Mike Kirchhoff put SLU on top in the second minute. Off a restart, senior defender Joe Hammes served a ball into the UNC penalty area where Kirchhoff escaped his mark and sent an eight-yard header past Tar Heels keeper Jay Batt
The Billikens' Jack Jewsbury had a chance to increase the lead in the 41st minute when Nick Walls' pass put SLU's 10th all-time leading scorer in all alone on Batt. Jewsbury tried to chip the charging Batt from 18 yards, but the Heels' keeper managed to deflect it just wide.
Carolina enjoyed a territorial edge throughout much of the first half and finally capitalized at 44:19 as Ryan Kneipper knotted it. A pretty flick from midfielder Jonathan Davis put Mike Gell into position to Billiken keeper Martin Hutton, who made a diving save on Gell's shot. The rebound eluded the Billiken defense, and Kneipper pounced on it from 12 yards and converted into an open net.
The Heels came out strong out of the lockerroom and pressured immediately. After Hammes received a yellow card for bringing down Kneipper on a near breakaway, Heels midfielder David Testo rocketed a shot off the cross bar from 20 yards on the free kick. After that initial surge, the half was evenly played.
The Billikens had their fair share of chances. Freshman midfielder Jack Jewsbury pass, but McKee's 18-yard drive went high in the 54th minute. After a Danny Wynn cross into the Heels' penalty area in the 65th minute, junior midfielder Kevin Wickart's volley was saved by Batt. In the 72nd minute, Jewsbury's low drive through traffic to the left post was just wide.
Tar Heels midfielder Matt Crawford was dangerous throughout the second half and eventually hit the game-winning serve. Hutton made a good save on Crawford's drive from the left flank in the 69th minute, and Kneipper drilled the rebound wide of an open net. Again operating from wide left, Crawford shot wide of the right post in the 78th minute.
After the Billikens seemed to have safely cleared the ball from their defensive third in the final minute, Billiken midfielder Patrick Garcia appeared to have the ball tied up at the far sideline. But UNC midfielder Ray Fumo pried it free and shoveled it to Crawford, who immediately sent a long serve into the Bills' penalty area. Kneipper was able to get just enough of his head on it to deflect the ball past Hutton at 89:57.
Donigan praised the play of Kirchhoff and Hutton, who both were named to the All-Tournament team, "After Kirchhoff missed the two exhibition matches, we were worried about his game fitness, but Mike was a major factor in the midfield and settled us down. Martin has given us the big, timely saves that we need from our keeper, and he's a terrific addition to our team."
North Carolina (2-0-0) out-shot the Billikens 16-9 and enjoyed a 6-2 edge in corners. Hutton made five stops for the Bills, while Batt recorded two saves.
The Billikens (0-1-1) open Conference USA action on Sat., Sept. 7, at Marquette.
#11 SAINT LOUIS 1, #4 North Carolina 2
SLU 1:43 Mike Kirchhoff 8-yd header from Joe Hammes
UNC 44:19 Ryan Kneipper 12-yd rebound from Mike Gell
UNC 89:57 Kneipper 5-yd header from Matt Crawford, Ray Fumo
Shots: SLU-9 , UNC-16 Corners: SLU-2 , UNC-6 Saves: SLU-5 (Hutton), UNC-2 (Batt) Fouls: SLU-25, UNC-15 Att: 1,551
