Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Nov. 7, 1996, edition 1 / Page 9
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(Tljf Satlg (Ear Hml UNC brings new defense, title streak to ACC tourney ■ The Tar Heels open the tournament against eighth seeded Florida State today. BYPAULSTRELOW • - ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Scoring goals hasn’t been a problem for the second-ranked North Carolina women’s soccer team as it enters the ACC Tournament in Clemson, S.C., this weekend. The problem is they still aren’t scoring enough to suit UNC coach Anson Dorrance. So Dorrance has changed the Tar Heels’ defensive scheme, opting for a flatback defense to involve more players in-the offensive attack. The results indi cate that the switch has improved UNC’s already stifling defense, a bad sign for eighth-seeded Florida State (12-6-1, 2-5 in the ACC), which faces the top-seeded Tar Heels (17-1, 7-0) in the quarterfinal round at 1 p.m. today. “The surprising thing it’s also giving us is we’renotgivingupgoals,’’Dorrance said. “I thought we’d give up four or five goals before we’d learn the system, but we haven’t.” In fact, the Tar Heels have given up only one goal since installing the flatbacks at die adidas Challenge Cup in Klein, Tex., three weeks ago. UNCisl7-0-l in tourney play and has outscored foes 34-2 in the last two confer ence tournaments. North Carolina whipped FSU 9-0 at Tallahassee in their only confrontation this season. But the ‘Noles have come on of late, knocking off N.C. State and Clemson. The Seminoles meet UNC’s flatback line for the first time today, and history indicates the Tar Heels don’t need any fixing: the ‘Noles fell to UNC 9-0 in the teams’ first-ever tournament game a year ago. But the new defense wasn’t dia grammed to specifically stop FSU. Flatbacks is designed to keep the ball on UNC’s offensive end of the field, preventing the opposition’s forwards from crossing the midstripe. It requires a higher intensity than the traditional system, but there are more advantages than disad vantages. It frustrates opponents by forcing them to remain on defense. The forward and NCAA executive director denounces athletes’ gambling as social ‘cancer’ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS KANSAS CITY, Mo. With a bet ting scandal engulfing Boston College, the head of the NCAA called gambling a “cancer growing in our society.” “Gambling is a central concern of in tercollegiate athletics,” NCAA execu tive director Cedric Dempsey told the Associated Press. “And those concerns are heightened because of the changing culture of this country and its attitude toward gam bling.” An NCAA representative said its meet ings were only informational and were scheduled before the Boston College scan dal broke. The NCAA has not been involved in the BC football investigation. The district attorney involved in that case said Wednesday two Boston Col lege football players bet against their team in an Oct. 26 loss to Syracuse. TAR HEEL SPORTS SHORTS TODAY at CAROLINA! Men’s Tennis Rolex Region II Championships All day at Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center Students & Faculty Admitted FREE w ill)! A Nbur intellect may tell you gourmet Mexican last food is an oxymoron. But your taste buds will tell you diffaendy Since when did fast food become gourmet? Since we Bar, including “Blow Torch," if you have the nerve to try opened the Wicked Burrito on Franklin Street. Our it. Plus, you can eat inside, outside on our patio authentic Mexican meals are made right ■*. j Vgyjfr II (weather permitting), or order take out. in front of you from 100% fresh ingredi- mlTTIm Gourmef take out ? Hey, don't take our ents. So’s the salsa at our free Salsa MIXICAN °°° 214 W. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill • Call 967-8899 for take out midfield positions almost become the same, as die attack relegates both to the same areas. It offers more offensive chances for the backfield. And on a team plagued by injuries all season long, it provides much-needed relief for the de fenders. “It requires a lot more thinking, but it’s much less physically demanding than the traditional style,” defender Amy Roberts said. “It takes us to a higher level.” The Tar Heels may need that level in the second round. Assuming UNC tack les the ‘Noles, the Tar Heels would face the winner of No. 4 State and No. 5 Virginia on Friday at 7 p.m. Both teams could eliminate the reign ing champs. Although UNC defeated them 4-0 and 4-1, respectively, each looked capable at times of staying with the Tar Heels. Especially the Wolfpack, who coun terattacked die flatback defense with some success because of tremendous frontline speed that rivaled North Carolina’s ex plosiveness. “For moments in time we were doing the job we wanted to do,” State coach Alvin Corneal said. "We had the oppor tunities. ... We penetrated a fair degree, and it offered an excellent guideline for the tournament." If UNC advances to the final game, it would probably take on either No. 2 Duke or No. 3 Clemson at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. Both teams limited the Tar Heels to two goals in early-season bouts, and Duke is one of the country’s hottest clubs. The Blue Devils struggled this season amid high expectations, mounting a 9-8- 3 record. But their roster is filled with talent, and the Devils finished the regular season strong by beating Clemson, Vir ginia and lOth-ranked Florida. “No matter what, they always get up for us,” Roberts said. “On paper they're an incredible team, although their record really hasn’t shown it this year.” But neither team has faced the Tar Heels’ new alignment. And although there are other teams that could defeat the Tar Heels, North Carolina is still a heavy favorite to cap ture its eighth consecutive crown. The forward line of Debbie Keller, Cindy Parlow and Robin Confer is returning to last year’s form at the right time, and Laurie Schwoy and Tiffany Roberts have provided an effective offensive presence “I don’t know any more about the Boston College case than what I’ve read in the papers,” Dempsey said. Although sports betting is legal only in New Jersey and Nevada, Dempsey said, voters on Tuesday approved casino gam bling in Detroit, adding Michigan to a growing list of states that allows casinos as well as lotteries. “It’s a cancer growing in our society,” Dempsey said. “That is what concerns me. As we see a rising interest in gam bling, we can expect increased gambling activities, both legal and illegal, and we can anticipate increasing sports gam bling.” Most Division I schools have FBI or other law enforcement officials speak to their football and basketball teams every year about gambling. NCAA rules make clear that athletes can lose their eligibility if they bet on any college or professional event. U V,.VI"-‘v- Ipe || P' ‘ I flEßip Jjiljfc tiUtf - IrP St DIH FM PHOTO UNC's Cindy Parlow (22) moved from the midfield to the front line earlier this season. The Tar Heels seek their eighth-straight ACC title beginning today. from the midfield. “We’re playing really well right now,” UNC sweeper Nel Fettig said, “whereas at the beginning of the year I don’t think we were quite clicking, but now everything’s starting to fall into place.” Falling into place in both chemistry and in terms of the new defense. The new alignment rids the backfield of its traditional sweeper and marking back roles. Fettig now moves up to join the backs as a barrier between the Tar Heel offense and open field. No longer do the backs match up man-to-man with opposing forwards and shadow them all game. The final product is a riskier scheme that lacks the last line of defense the sweeper used to provide. But the flatbacks creates a lot of turn overs, as it resembles the neutral zone trap that has become the fad in profes Johnson quells questions about possible Marino trade THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MIAMI Dan Marino is about to reach the 50,000-yard mark, and restless Miami Dolphins fans argue that the team can’t get much more mileage out of a quarterback with so much yardage. Fans want to trade in Marino, saying coach Jimmy Johnson should swing a Herschel Walker-type deal after the sea son. But to sneak such a suggestion past Johnson, you have to get up pretty early in the morning. He phoned a talk show on WQAM radio from his car at 6:45 a.m. Wednesday to quash the trade talk. “Anybody who calls in about trading Dan Marino you’re wasting your breath,” Johnson said. “Forget about it; it’s not going to happen. When we get our supporting cast in the right order, Dan Marino is going to win a lot of games here.” The Dolphins started this season 3-0, then began to stumble when Marino broke his right ankle. The trade speculation was prompted by the team’s disappoint- Subjects W&ivted Hexltky ults 18 yrs. or older & lio Iks. to participate ii\ life-sfcvmy plxShrApkeresis projriK Approx. 1 m\i m per visit. IhNhnedi&te Cotnpei\S*tioi\! Neu/ & returning (inactive for 40 days) pI\SK>X dotvors e*r* $25 TODAY U/itk tkis id. CALL OR STOP 8Y... 1091/2 E. FRANKLIN ST.M-TH 10-6, FlO4-942-0251 ill—■ SPORTS sional hockey. “We’re all being connected by a string,” Roberts said. “If the ball shifts over to the left side, we all have to shift over together. The person that’s on the weak side, the full back, would have to provide a little cover and fall back.” UNC has scored less with the new style, averaging 3.7 goals per contest as compared to 4.1 before the switch. But the change has accomplished what it was intended to do instill an aggressive, offensive mindset. “I’ll sacrifice nothing to attack,” Dorrance said. “What we’ve done is steal a page out of the Olympic team’s book. This summer they played a spectacular offensive game in the back with three flat across the back, and I think playing with this system gives us an attacking person ality.” ing 4-5 record going into Sunday’s game against Indianapolis (54). Before halftime, Marino will likely reach the unprecedented milestone of 50,000 yards passing. He’s 83 yards shy. “I can’t even spell 50,000, let along comprehend somebody getting that many yards, ” Indianapolis coach Lindy Infante said. “I still marvel at what that’s done. When you say quarterback in the NFL, you just about have to mention his name. ” Marino has struggled since returning from his injury two weeks ago. Marino ranks 11 th in the NFL in pass ing efficiency and completed just 17 of 34 passes for 225 yards and zero touch downs in Sunday’s 42-23 loss at New England. The problem is rustiness, Johnson said. “Dan wasn’t as sharp as what we’d like to see,” he said. “I anticipate he’ll be a lot better Sunday.” Since joining the Dolphins in Janu ary, Johnson has emphasized that his Defender Roberts’ physical play brings tougher look to backfield BYPAULSTRELOW ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Amy Roberts’ teammates make it sound as if the Incredible Hulk dons her No. 5 jersey for North Carolina’s women’s soccer team. But don’t be fooled. The only green on her comes from oppo nents’ grass stains. Roberts has been the bruiser of the Tar Heel defense, providing a physical pres ence otherwise missing from the backfield. While UNC’s other backs use their quickness and finesse, she quells challengers with intimidation and bulk. “When she gets in the game and you see her go in to tackle a person, you know that per son is going to get crunched,” de fender Lorrie Fair said. “I’m going, ‘I feel really sorry for that girl.’” UNC coach Anson Dorrance said: “She has a body of solid rock. It’s like running into the (Soccer Hut).” The senior dis- UNC senior defender AMY ROBERTS scored her first career goal this year against Clemson. misses the accolades as niceties. But there’s nothing sweet about her play on the field. She has a reputation to uphold. Opposing forwards soon leam to avoid Roberts’ areaofthe field. She’ll be breath ing down their necks if they go up for headers. Dribble the ball her way, and she’ll challenge them to make it past her. “I need to take those physical risks,” Robertssaid. “I know I need to go in hard on that first tackle and let the girl I am marking know that I’m going to be some one to reckon with.” But as rugged as she plays on the field, her personality takes a 180-degree turn off it. Her smile is ever-present, and the first word to describe her is “ supportive. ” Roberts links her affable personality with her ability to relate with all mem bers of the UNC squad. After all, she occupied a bench position her first two plans for reaching the Super Bowl in clude Marino. The quarterback signed a three-year contract in April that includes a no-trade clause. “We could probably get 10 million A Webzine of Offstream Pop Culture STIM: The only website ribbed for your pleasure. Come see our new design! o * O CHAT Karen Godlock 3 lime ACC Cross Country Champ! Go Heels at District 111 Meet! m 102-A fast Main St. Carrboro, N.C. 27510 968-FHT Thursday, November 7,1996 seasons and remembers how tough the role was. Her vast improvement through the last four years has made her an everyday starter, but she hasn’t forgotten all the hard work it took to get better. “No one told me I could play here,” Roberts said. “I just tried to come in with the attitude, ‘Hey, you’ve got to work your butt off if you’re going to get any where.’” That attitude was appreciated by Dorrance, who after one match felt so bad about not playing Roberts that he contemplated writing her an apology. But instead she wrote him first, letting him know she supported any decisions he made. The maturity and dedication that Rob erts possessed then as a sophomore has transformed her into one of the team’s current leaders. And all her efforts be came worthwhile when she scored her first career goal against Clemson this year. During the 82nd minute of the match, Roberts booted an offering from 30 yards away into the goal’s upper left shelf. The score provided some breathing room for the UNC, lifting its advantage to 2-0. “ It being my senior year and my want ing to make a significant contribution, it was really the icing on the cake for me,” she said. “At that moment, I felt so estatic because I felt like I was really part of the team.” Roberts has differing emotions as she enters her final contests as a Tar Heel. On one hand, she says she feels confidence in the fact that she has achieved so much. But now that she’s contributing, she says she’s sad that it’s about to end. Her finale will also mark the final time she takes the field with forward Debbie Keller. Keller and Roberts were high school teammates in Naperville, 111., and the duo has remained close friends dur ing their careers. “Throughout the years we’ve both met and made separate friends, ” Roberts said. “We’ve also had a special bond. ... I know I can turn to her for support.” And if she feels the need to hit some body. people for Danny,” receiver O.J. McDuffie said. “But he’s the basis of our offense. You look at the playbook, and it’s pretty much built around Danny.” 9
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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