Nov. 9, 2009
Ryan Houston rushed for 164 yards in Carolina's 19-6 win over Duke and Casey Nogueira earned MVP honors as the Tar Heels won the ACC soccer title for the fifth year in a row to share Progress Energy Tar Heel of the Week honors for November 2-8, 2009.
Houston, a junior from Charlotte, rushed for career bests of 164 yards on 37 carries. The 37 carries were the most by a Tar Heel running back since Natrone Means had 37 vs. Duke in 1990. Houston rushed for 62 yards in the first half, which nearly matched his season-best 66-yard effort last week at Virginia Tech. He ran for 55 yards on 10 carries on the fourth-quarter drive that culminated in Jheranie Boyd's three-yard TD run. Houston's 55 yards would have ranked as the fourth-most rushing yards alone in any "game" in his career. Houston's 164 rushing yards are the most by a Tar Heel this season and the most since Chad Scott rushed for 175 vs. Miami in 2004.
Nogueira, a senior from Raleigh, scored two goals to lead the third-seeded Tar Heels to a 3-0 victory over top-seeded Florida State in the championship match Sunday. Nogueira tallied in the third minute of the
game on a breakaway for the eventual game-winning goal and she added a
second goal in the 13th minute on a penalty kick. The second of Nogueira's
goals was the 3,000th scored in UNC's famed soccer history. This marked the
second straight year Nogueira was named the tournament's Most Valuable
Player.
Other nominees:
REBECCA KANE
Women's Swimming
Junior Freestyler
Toms River, N.J.
Junior Rebecca Kane won two events as she led the Tar Heel women's team to a
166-117 victory over Maryland in dual meet action. Competing in her first
meet of the 2008-09 season, Kane placed first in the 50-yard freestyle in an
NCAA "B" qualifying time of 23.00 seconds, a time just 59 one-hundredths of
a second off her career best. Kane also had a first-place finish in the
100-yard freestyle with a time of 50.62 seconds. Kane was part of a third
event victory when she led off UNC's 400-yard freestyle relay which won in a
time of 3:25.63 (her leadoff split was 50.94). Kane has the second fastest
time in the ACC this season in both the 50 and 100 frees after her
performance on Friday.
TOMMY WYHER
Men's Swimming
Junior Backstroker
New Port Richey, Fla.
Junior Tommy Wyher won the 100-yard backstroke in an ACC-leading time of
48.19 seconds as the Tar Heel men defeated Maryland 171-98 in dual meet
action. Swimming in his first meet of the 2008-09 season, Wyher was clocked
in an NCAA "B" qualifying time in the event. The clocking of 48.19 is 2.04
seconds faster than any other swimmer in the ACC has gone this season.
Wyher also won the 50-yard freestyle in 20.88 seconds, the eighth-fastest
time in the conference this season. Wyher also swam the third leg on a UNC
400-yard freestyle relay which placed second in 3:06.81 (his split in the
100 free was 45.43).
THOMAS SCOTTON
Wrestling
Junior, 157 pounds
Willingboro, N.J.
Coming off a solid run at nationals a year ago, junior Thomas Scotton posted a 5-0 record en route to the 157-pound title at the Hokie Open. He cruised to the final Sunday with four decisive victories, including a 10-2 major decision William Powell of Appalachian State in the final. Scotton scored a 4-2 overtime decision over ACC rival Jesse Dong of Virginia Tech, who had posted four straight pins, to take the title.
BILLY SCHULER
Men's Soccer
Sophomore, Forward
Allentown, N.J.
Sophomore forward Billy Schuler helped close the regular season for No. 2 North Carolina with an unbeaten week. He tallied game-winning goals against both Elon and Clemson and finished with seven points on three goals and an assist for the week. Against Elon, the Allentown, N.J., product scored unassisted goals in the 42nd and 60th minutes in a 2-1 victory. At Clemson, Schuler broke a 1-1 tie with an unassisted goal in the 74th minute and followed with an assist on a Martin Murphy goal to lift UNC to a 3-1 win. Schuler shares the ACC lead with six game-winning goals and leads UNC with with eight goals and 20 points on the season.
CORA HARMS
Volleyball
Freshman Setter
Placerville, Calif.
Cora Harms led Carolina to two of their three wins this week over Virginia and Virgina Tech. Harms, who sprained her ankle earlier in the week and missed Tuesday's match against N.C. State, recorded two double-doubles Friday and Sunday. The Placerville, Calif. product notched 49 assists and 22 digs in a 3-1 win over Virginia Friday. Sunday Harms registered 44 assists and 19 digs to help Carolina rally past Virginia Tech 3-2. Harms has now posted double-doubles in assists and kills in four straight matches. The talented freshman setter also has posted 30 or more assists in every conference match. Carolina improves to 14-12 overall and 10-5 in league play entering next weekend at Maryland and at Boston College.
