CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The historic 2016 season for the #18 FGCU men's soccer season came to a heartbreaking end Sunday, with a 3-2 double overtime loss to #10 North Carolina in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles (14-4-3), despite playing a man down for the final 52 minutes following a straight red card issued nearly 25 yards from goal, scored twice against the nation's top defensive unit, which had allowed two goals in a game just twice entering the contest. The Tar Heels (12-3-3) advance to play Syracuse in the Third Round next weekend.

The 2016 season, by far the best ever in FGCU men's soccer history, produced the most wins in program history (14), the program's first NCAA Tournament goals and FGCU's first appearance in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. In addition, the 2016 squad set 12 new team single season records and witnessed nine new individual single season marks. 

"It was an exciting season and one I will always remember," said head coach Bob Butehorn. "This was a special group of guys that put together a pretty good year by anyone's standards. Even towards the end of this game, being a man down, the guys responded with a lot of character and a lot of integrity. I'm proud of these guys and we're very sad to have taken a loss here."

In a Top 20 matchup featuring the nation's top offense and defense going head-to-head, the Eagles struck first on a Robert Ferrer (Barcelona, Spain/IES Calmot/Brevard College) volley in the 11th minute. The Eagles continued to lead, winning the midfield battle, until the late stages of the first half when the hosts tied the match. As the second half began, FGCU was forced to play down a man when the referee issued a straight red card to Kamar Marriott (Tampa, Fla./Heritage), despite multiple Eagles within the area. It was FGCU that struck again as Albert Ruiz (Barcelona, Spain/UE Cornella/CE L'Hospitalet) converted from the penalty spot to put FGCU in front 2-1. The Heels however equalized with less than five minutes remaining more finding the winner in the second overtime period.

The match began with UNC attempting to find a gap in an organized FGCU defense, the Eagles elected to play direct for the match's first opportunity around the ten-minute mark. Caleb George (Tampa, Fla./Chamberlain) picked out Ruiz who nearly beat his man, but instead earned a corner for the visitors. The corner was played into a dangerous area but was cleared away by the Tar Heels, who then went on the counter only for Preston Kilwien (San Francisco, Calif./College Park) to concede a corner after tracking back to slow the attack.

It was on the corner that UNC was whistled for a foul and the Eagles would once again make history. Eli Roubos (Toronto, Ontario/Northview Heights Secondary/Oregon State) played the ball long toward Arion Sobers-Assue (Miami, Fla./DeMatha Catholic), who flicked it toward Ferrer in the box. The midfielder chested it down near the penalty spot and volleyed it past James Pyle. Ferrer's goal, his third of the season, was just the ninth goal given up all season by the Tar Heels.

Playing with the lead the Eagles nearly converted on a deadly counter. With UNC pressing forward, North Carolina's Zach Wright managed to get free in the box, beating Jared Brown (Aurora, Ontario/St. Maximilian Kolbe CHS) but not George who then turned and found Miguel Jaime (Denver, Colo./Cherry Creek) wide open near midfield. Jaime's run produced a dangerous bending effort toward the backpost but it went just wide.

With 26 minutes off the clock, Justin Gavin (Brooklyn, N.Y./Treasure Coast/Eastern Florida State College) was on the receiving end of a Ruiz through-ball and Gavin elected to take a strike with his first touch. Aiming toward the near post, Gavin's effort went out of play for a goal kick.

Carolina leveled the match in the 30th minute, a Tucker Hume goal from point-blank range as both sides locked down defensively from that point, clearing away crosses and getting in front of virtually every opportunity to send the match into halftime 1-1.

The match reached a turning point in the 53rd minute when Marriott was sent off for a foul deemed to be a denial of a goal scoring opportunity despite George and others being within just a couple yards. On the ensuing free kick, Brown made a save to keep the match level at 1-1.

Down a man, the Eagles relied on a disciplined defense to frustrate the Heels, blocking multiple UNC shots, forcing the Tar Heels into offside positions and limiting the amount of clean chances for the home side.

It was during this span that FGCU again chose to play long, as both Kilwien and Jiro Barriga Toyama (Chiba, Japan/Chibakennrituoihama HS/Barton Community College) attempted to find Ruiz on the run. With Kilwien's service, the flag came up on the forward but he timed his run on his second chance. Ruiz found space out wide along the left side of the field and tested Pyle from a wide angle. The Tar Heel goalkeeper made the save to keep Ruiz and FGCU from regaining the lead.

In the 72nd minute however the Eagles looked to the nation's leading goal scorer to put them in front and he did so from the spot. George found his way up-field and played a perfect ball to Ruiz who chested it down and attempted to turn before being dragged down in the box, leading to penalty for FGCU. It was Ruiz who stepped up and finished his chance to put FGCU back in the lead 2-1.

FGCU stood tall defensively, continuing to limit UNC's chances. It wasn't until the 83rd minute that Brown had to make a save, denying Wright at his near post. It was late goal though by Nils Bruiening that once again leveled the match and forced FGCU's second-straight extra time match.

The Eagles had the better of play in the first overtime, putting UNC on its heels for the bulk of the ten-minute period. FGCU's best chance came early in the session when Shak Adams (Antioch, Tenn./Cane Ridge) broke free and served a ball from the endline that was just out of the reach of Kilwien, who would have been staring an open net.

In the second overtime, the Tar Heels earned a corner and after FGCU cleared it away, the Heels won back possession, recycled their runs and were able to find a winner.

FGCU held UNC to eight shots on goal despite 28 total shot – 19 of them occurring after the red card – thanks to a solid defensive effort. The Eagles meanwhile made the most of their chances, with seven total shots and three testing the 'keeper, two beating him.

FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU men's soccer program, follow on Twitter @FGCU_MSoccer, Instagram @FGCU_MSoccer, Facebook /FGCUMSoccer and YouTube /FGCUAthletics.
 
COACH BUTEHORN
FGCU is led by Bob Butehorn, who has coached six professional players and 63 ASUN All-Conference selections since FGCU started its program in 2007. In just six years of postseason eligibility, Butehorn has guided FGCU to four ASUN Tournament championships and NCAA Tournament appearances – in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2016 – and won an unprecedented six-straight ASUN regular-season championships from 2010-15. His teams have been ranked nationally on several occasions by multiple media outlets, including a program-record #11 NSCAA ranking in 2016. Now in his 14th season as a head coach, Butehorn has a 129-94-28 (.570) overall record, 95-63-24 (.588) mark in his 10th season at FGCU and 52-18-7 (.721) record in ASUN contests.
 
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.