Tarheels show well at ACI but fall in semi's to Maryland

by Andy Richards

The weather was hardly conducive to running rugby but the Tarheels showed alot of determination through-out the weekend and finished off their season well.

UNC 0 – Virginia Tech 0

Heavy rain made for sloppy conditions that figured highly in the outcome of the opening game, a 0-0 tie with Virginia Tech. With deep mud and only twenty minute halves, UNC struggled to find any offensive continuity. Both teams tackled and rucked hard, but neither could break away for a try. Alex Lee and Ed Perkins both had promising second-half runs, but the third and fourth pass was always knocked on or dropped.



UNC 17 – Miami 0

A disappointed Tar Heel side rested and then played solid, convincing rugby in another forty minute match, besting the Miami Hurricanes 17-0. Rick Baker opened the scoring early after Perkins broke the line. The ball went through centers Mike Claunch and Seth McLamb, who lofted it to Baker as he fell. The prop made one cut and took it the last twenty meters to score.

UNC came by quickly on offense and fullback Evan Rose sliced through the Canes defense to put Carolina up 12-0 at half.

The second half was more bogged down as Miami dug in defensively. UNC dominated in time of possession, however, consistently tying up big Miami forwards to win scrum ball for Carolina. The Miami pack was effective on defense, limiting Carolina’s second half scoring to one try by Sikipa, who pounced on a fumbled ball in the Canes try zone.

Since UNC beat Miami 17-0, and the VT beat them 10-7, Carolina won their bracket on point differential.



Maryland 19 – UNC 11

Although the rain subsided, conditions were hardly improved Sunday for the semifinal match versus #1 seed Maryland. Carolina came out fired up against a massive Terrapins side, and Ed Perkins opened the scoring with a penalty kick after sustained Tar Heel pressure. Carolina managed to hit the rucks quickly enough to keep the UMD forwards in check and maintain possession. Ed Perkins then dummied and broke through for UNC’s lone try of the afternoon and an 8-0 lead. Maryland responded just before the half by camping out on the Tar Heel line after they got their brutally effective 10-plus man maul going down the right sideline. Carolina played fierce defense, but kept getting penalized as they rushed up frantically on the fringes of the ruck, meters from surrendering a try. UMD’s lock and captain finally bulldozed his way in for a try and the half ended with UNC clinging to an 8-5 lead.

The second half began well for Carolina, as Perkins netted another three points and for an 11-5 lead. Maryland and Carolina then traded possessions for several minutes. With the clock at about 10 minutes, the Terrapins rolled in a maul using almost their entire team, and slipped in the conversion for a 12-11 lead. UNC had some good phases and threatened offensively, but lost the ball forward too often. Maryland then added another try as the game neared its’ end in a blindside move off another huge maul. UNC had committed too many players attempting to reverse the power of the maul, and several quick Terps slipped off and took the ball weakside for the nail in the coffin.



UNC’s season ended with that loss and a final record of 7-3-1 (including a 4-2 matrix mark after an 18-11 victory over resurgent Florida in the final home match of the semester).

UNC’s freshmen flanker Alex Lee and freshman fullback Evan Rose were named to the ACI tournament All-Star team, a great honor for the team that bodes well for the future of the club.

Created Apr 07, 2008. 04:36 pm
Modified Apr 28, 2008. 04:19 pm