Bissafi Dotte (white jersey) scores Campbell’s goal on Tuesday night.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
BUIES CREEK — Shorthanded Campbell played the final 23:41 a man down, but the Fighting Camels extended their unbeaten streak to 10 matches after a 1-1 draw with No. 21 North Carolina Tuesday night at the Eakes Complex.
On a rain-heavy field and playing in foggy, humid conditions, neither the Camels nor Tar Heels could break a deadlock over the last 87 minutes of play.
Bissafi Dotte scored in the 20th minute to give the Camels (12-2-2) a 1-0 lead, but Alex Rose equalized just 3:40 later for the Tar Heels (7-4-3).
Campbell remained unbeaten (7-0-1) at home and improved to 9-0-1 since it last lost Sept. 17 at Coastal Carolina. UNC saw its winless streak reach three outings. The Camels have outscored their opponents in Buies Creek this season by a 19-2 margin.
“It was a good college soccer game,” said Campbell head coach Dustin Fonder. “We haven’t had to defend a lot in the last couple of weeks and we weren’t as sharp defensively as we can be because we’ve had so much of the ball lately. But this is a good wake up call for us down the stretch. Games are going to get tight in the (Big South) tournament, and you’ve got to be battle-tested and ready. I think tonight did that for us.”
Campbell went in front after 19 minutes when Alemu Mercer-Miko sent a corner kick to the far post. Ian Rees headed the ball back across the box to Dotte, who rose and nodded it down and into the left side for his first career goal.
The wet conditions contributed to the equalizer when Rose took a return pass from Jack Skahan and drove a low, right-footed shot that Camel keeper Samuel Lechuga was unable to hold for his seventh strike of the season.
Campbell’s best chance to take the lead came in the 67th minute on Eren Elbustu’s volley off a Matt Lock free kick, but UNC keeper Alec Smir dove to his right and held on for the save.
Ten minutes later, Lechuga came off his line to deny a point-blank attempt in the area by Jonathan Jiminez.
Campbell went a man down in the 87th minute when the nation’s leading scorer Thibaut Jacquel was shown his second yellow card of the match.
UNC nearly claimed three points in the first overtime period when Rose dribbled deep into the area, and his sharply-angled attempt beat Lechuga, but Camel back Franck Momo cleared the ball off the line.
With just over two minutes remaining in the second extra period, UNC’s Milo Garvanian missed a low shot less than a yard wide of the left post.
North Carolina finished with an 18-7 edge in shots — 4-0 in extra time — and took 13 corner kicks to four for the Camels.
Campbell entered the contest second in the nation in corners per game (7.53) and 14th in the country in team goals-against average (0.715). The Camels moved to 2-0-2 in overtime contests this year and earned their third draw against nationally-ranked opponents in the last two seasons.
The Big South Conference-leading Camels (6-0-0) return to action on Monday (Oct. 28) at 7 p.m. when they host Longwood in the team’s final regular-season home game.
(Campbell media services provided the basis for this report)
Campbell clears after a North Carolina corner kick.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Thibault Jacquel moves the ball forward for the Camels.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Ian Rees (8) goes up to intercept a UNC pass on Tuesday night.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
Thibault Jacquel attacks in the early stages of the match.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/Paul Burgett)
