UAB Defeats No. 17 North Carolina, 2-1

The UAB men's soccer team pulled off a statement win on Wednesday night, taking down No. 17 North Carolina 2-1 at Dorrance Field. It was the Blazers' first victory over a ranked opponent since 2021, when they defeated No. 18 Kentucky.

North Carolina looked in control early, striking first in the 9th minute when Nacho Abeal finished a well-worked sequence assisted by Bertil Rygaard Hansen and Luca Nikolai. Despite the early setback, UAB regrouped defensively and gradually began to find rhythm on the counterattack.

The Blazers' persistence paid off late in the first half when freshman forward Patrik Fagan provided the equalizer in the 42nd minute. After a scramble in the box, Fagan pounced on a…