After the insanity of the this past week, things now start to steady themselves into a regular rhythm, as the sports schedule calms down just a hair. Still it’s got plenty of noteworthy games including a massive early season showdown for the women’s soccer team and another huge showcase game for the volleyball team. There’s also a little football game in South Carolina that we will all have our eyes on. Let’s take a peek at the week ahead in UNC sports.
UNC Football
This game is likely going to tell us what sort
of season we are in for. Last year the Clemson Tigers were a diminished team that had their worst season under Dabo Swinney. They still tore Bill Belichick and Carolina up, and any sort of hope of the team having a cohesive season disappeared on the Kenan surface that day. Clemson is set up for arguably a worse season this year, and it’s undeniable that the Tar Heels are improved. If the Tar Heels were to lose to this Clemson team it’s tough to see how fans can be optimistic for the rest of the year while a win might actually mean the Tar Heels can compete in this ACC.
- Saturday, 9/19 at Clemson, Clemson, South Carolina, Noon, ESPN
UNC Men’s Soccer
The men’s team made a real statement on Friday by hosting the top ranked Stanford Cardinal and earning a draw. This followed their cross-country trip to the Bay Area and earning a draw against Cal, so while the conference season has begun with two draws, it’s better than two losses. They get into a little more of a rhythm this week with a game against American and then another conference match this weekend. With them we should get an idea as to how strong their season will be.
- Tuesday, 9/15 vs American, Chapel Hill, 7 PM, ACCNX (streaming only)
- Saturday, 9/19 vs Clemson, Chapel Hill, 7 PM, ACCNX (streaming only)
UNC Women’s Soccer
The women’s soccer team finally returned back to Chapel Hill after traveling all over the world it seemed, and they kept going with their strong start by easily beating Cal and the NJIT. This week sees a much stiffer test as the Duke team comes to town, fresh off an absolute demolition of the top ranked Stanford Cardinal on Sunday. The only real strong team the Tar Heels have faced this year managed to beat Carolina at home, so if they want to be in a good position this postseason, they’ll need to show out against a clearly strong Blue Devils team.
- Thursday, 9/17 vs Duke, Chapel Hill, 8 PM, ACCN
- Sunday, 9/20 vs Alcorn State, Chapel Hill, 1 PM
UNC Women’s Golf
After finishing eighth out of the twelve teams to play in the ANNIKA, the Tar Heels will head over to Nashville and join others in the Mason Rudolph Championship. This event is hosted by Vanderbilt, and it’ll be the last even the ladies play for nearly a month—meaning doing well is key.
- Friday, 9/18-Sunday, 9/20—Mason Rudolph Championship, Nashville, TN
UNC Volleyball
You thought playing two SEC teams including one in New York was a showcase for this team? How about following that up by traveling out to Lincoln, Nebraska and taking on the volleyball team that managed to fill a football stadium? The Huskers are having an event that the Tar Heels are invited to, and the event is big enough to be on the B1G Network Friday night. It’s a real chance for the team to make some hay.
- Friday, 9/18 at Nebraska — Lincoln, NE, 8 PM (Eastern), B1G Network
- Saturday, 9/19 vs Florida Gulf Coast — Lincoln, NE, 1 PM (Eastern)
UNC Men’s and Women’s Tennis
It’s time for the men’s tennis team to get their fall schedule going, while the women continue to move along with theirs. They’ll both do so this weekend playing in the ITA All-America Championships. The event is out in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the men will look to get their year off to a great start with a national championship on the line. The women, of course, have several of these to their name so they are looking to continue the tradition of excellence. For the men, those that don’t advance will be back in town next week in front of fans, but for now they hope to make some noise.
- Saturday, 9/19-Sunday 9/27 — ITA Championships, Tulsa, OK
UNC Field Hockey
We finish off the week with the field hockey team, still having trouble with consistency in this young season. Friday showed their youth as they took a 3-0 lead against Old Dominion, only to surrender it and lose in overtime. They did recover to take down Richmond on Sunday, and now they’ll take a little extra time off before they open true ACC play against the Wahoos in Chapel Hill. The rest will do them some good as they will have to hop a plane for the West Coast next weekend for the Bay Area Double.
- Sunday, 9/20 vs. Virginia — Chapel Hill, NC Noon, ACC Network
