UNCW advances in NCAA Soccer Tournament

**Note – Click the icon above to see WWAY’s game highlights.

WILMINGTON, NC (UNCW) — Freshman midfielder Kalvin Kromer (Green Hope H.S./Cary, N.C.) and junior midfielder Daniel Escobar (Cali, Colombia) each scored a goal in the second half to lead UNCW (13-4-2) to a 2-0 victory over Bucknell University (10-10-3) in the first round of the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship at UNCW Soccer Stadium on Thursday evening.

The Seahawks, who earned the first NCAA Tournament win in program history, will advance to the second round and will play at 16th-seeded Virginia on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. “It was a really special night for us,” UNCW Coach Aiden Heaney said. “The support we got from the student body and campus community was really great and we fed off that energy.”

After a scoreless first half, the Seahawks took a 1-0 lead in the 67th minute when Kromer took a crossing pass from junior defender Michael Mecham (Blacksburg H.S./Blacksburg, Va.) and scored on a 15-yard shot inside the far post. “It was nice to get that first goal because once we did, we knew we could get another one,” Kromer said.

Just over a minute later, UNCW upped the advantage to 2-0 when Escobar received a pass off the end line from junior forward Colin Bonner (Reservoir H.S./Fulton, Md.) and scored on a shot from the middle of the penalty area for his first goal of the season.

Led by sophomore goalkeeper Sean Melvin (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada), the Seahawk defense limited Bucknell to just three shots to earn the victory. “We are happy with the win but the expectations are higher for all of us,” said senior defender Jacob VanCompernolle. “I don’t think there is a sense of relief after getting the win. “It’s all about recovery for us now,” VanCompernolle added. “Virginia will have fresh legs and it will be a tough game. But, we will work hard and do our best to advance.”

**Note – Click the icon above to see WWAY’s game highlights.

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WWAY and Laney High will team up in late November for the Laney-WWAY Thanksgiving Invitational. “We are looking forward to hosting a super event with the help of WWAY,” Laney head basketball coach Nathan Faulk said. “The event will include some of the area’s best teams over Thanksgiving. We hope the community will get their shopping done early on Black Friday, then come watch some good basketball.”

Admission: $8 per day for adults, $6 for students
Dates: November 28, 29 2014

Friday November 28, 2014
Noon- Jack Britt vs East Bladen (G)
1:30- Jack Britt vs Clinton (B)
3:00- Trask vs Red Springs (G)
4:30- Trask vs Red Springs (B)
6:00- Laney vs North Brunswick (G)
7:30- Laney vs North Brunswick (B)

Saturday November 29, 2014
10:30 Red Springs vs East Bladen (G)
Noon- Red Springs vs. Clinton (B)
1:30- Trask vs North Brunswick (G)
3:00- Jack Britt vs North Brunswick (B)
4:30- Laney vs Trask (B)
6:00- Laney vs Jack Britt (G)

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DURHAM, NC (AP) – Marquise Williams threw for two touchdowns and rushed for two more, and North Carolina beat No. 25 Duke 45-20 on Thursday night.

Williams was 18 of 27 for 276 yards with touchdown passes covering 3 yards to Quinshad Davis and 1 yard to Mack Hollins. He also had scoring runs of 1 and 16 yards.

Tim Scott returned an early fumble 10 yards for the tone-setting score. The Tar Heels (6-5, 4-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) led 38-7 in earning bowl eligibility while wrapping up the Coastal Division title for Georgia Tech.

Anthony Boone was 22 of 40 for 262 yards with two touchdowns for the Blue Devils (8-3, 4-3). They needed to win their last two to earn a second straight ACC title game berth.

The Tar Heels scored 21 points off Duke’s three turnovers. Duke managed 378 total yards against a defense that allows an ACC-worst 512 per game.

(Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)