Senior midfielder Nico Melo scored the game’s only goal in the 68th minute as No. 4 North Carolina held off No. 20 UNC-Wilmington to earn a 1-0 victory in a non-conference contest at Fetzer Field on Tuesday evening.
The win elevated the Tar Heels’ record to 8-1-1 on the season, while extending their unbeaten streak to five straight games. UNCW, which had its three-game unbeaten streak snapped, dropped to 6-2-1.
“Our team gave a tremendous effort tonight and I was proud of our performance,” Coach Aidan Heaney said. “I thought we had some good spells in the game and passed the ball very well. UNC did a nice job of stifling our efforts in the final phase of the game, but we also made life difficult for them too, so chances were few and far between. Our players can hold their heads high and we will be looking for them to continue to play with similar levels in our upcoming CAA matches.”
Melo gave North Carolina a one-goal advantage with 22:10 remaining in regulation when he knocked in a rebound of a shot by junior forward Zach Wright for his first goal of the season.
Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Ryan Cretens matched his season high by making five saves as UNCW was outshot by a 15-4 margin.
The Seahawks continue their Colonial Athletic Association schedule on Saturday, Oct. 8, by hosting James Madison at 7 p.m.
