By R.L. Bynum

Memphis notched three first-half goals and held on for a 3–2 victory at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex in Memphis to hand North Carolina its first men’s soccer loss of the season on Monday.

The Tigers (2–0) jumped in front in the 13th minute when Eben McIntyre finished off a feed from Henrique Cruz. The Tigers doubled their advantage less than two minutes later, catching the Tar Heels on the counter as Renan Syrio lofted a ball over the Carolina back line off an assist from McIntyre to make it 2–0.

Carolina (0–1–1) answered in the 22nd minute. Junior midfielder Ryan Zellefrow slipped a pass through to freshman midfielder Faraji Ramani, whose shot was stopped by the Memphis goalkeeper Noah Kasin. But senior forward Joschi Schelb buried the rebound to cut the deficit in half.

Schelb’s finish, assisted by Ramani, was his second goal of the year and the 22nd of his career, while Ramani picked up the first career assist.

Memphis restored its two-goal cushion in the 35th minute when Carson Banham converted off a bouncing ball, with Syrio and Kynu Samuels both credited with assists, to make it 3–1.

In the 44th minute, senior defender Nick Lockermann sent a ball into a crowded box, and freshman forward Jace Donawa fought through traffic to poke it past the onrushing Kasin, pulling Carolina back within one with his first career goal. It was the 10th career assist for Lockerman, but first as a Tar Heel.

The Tar Heels had their chances to tie it. In the 55th minute, senior defender Luca Nikolai floated a cross into the box that found Zellefrow, but Kasin made the save. In the 79th minute, graduate defender Riley Berge headed a ball toward goal, only for it to be cleared off the line.

The teams each had 12 shots, but the Tigers had a 7–6 advantage in shots on goal while UNC had a 5–2 edge on corner kicks.

Memphis’ Keanan Bader and Henrique Cruz were shown yellow cards in the second half, along with Schelb for Carolina.

Carolina plays its home opener at 7:30 Friday against VCU in a game that will stream on ACC Network Extra. The Rams (0–1–1) lost their opener at UNCG on Thursday 4–1 and tied a Sunday road match with Wake Forest 0–0.

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DateMonth/dayTime/scoreOpponentRecord/
TVAugust9SundayW, 5–4vs. LibertyExhib.13ThursdayL, 2–1at MarylandExhib.20ThursdayT, 1–1at Georgetown0–0–124MondayL, 3–2at Memphis0–1–128Friday7:30vs. VCUACCNESeptember6Sunday7 p.m.at CaliforniaACCNE11Friday7 p.m.vs. StanfordACCNE15Tuesday7 p.m.vs. AmericanACCNE19Saturday7 p.m.vs. ClemsonACCNE26Saturday7 p.m.vs. LipscombACCNE30Wednesday7 p.m.vs. West FloridaACCNEOctober3Saturday5 p.m.at Boston CollegeACCNE10Saturday7 p.m.vs. Notre DameACCNE16Friday7 p.m.at PittsburghACCNE23Friday7 p.m.at DukeACCN27Tuesday6 p.m.vs. Wm. & MaryACCNE30Friday7 p.m.vs. N.C. StateACCNENovemberACC
tournamentFirst 2 rounds
on campus sites4WednesdayFirst round8SundayQuarterfinals12ThursdaySemifnalsCary15SundayFinalCaryNCAA
tournamentFirst 4 rounds
on campus sites19ThursdayFirst round22SundaySecond round28, 29Third roundDecember4. 5Sat., Sun.Quarterfinals11, 14Fri., Mon.Men’s College CupCary

Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics Communications

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