TSF: The Tar Heels traveled to Newton, MA for their final ACC regular season match. With the inclusion of BC into the ACC, that makes for a significantly longer roadtrip than most ACC destinations. Does the team treat a trip to BC any differently than your normal roadtrips?

Bic: Yes. We fly to Boston instead of taking a team bus which we would take to any of our other ACC away games.

TSF: Before moving to the Triangle, you grew up in the Boston area. What was it like to go back and play in your old stomping grounds? Had you ever played at the BC Soccer Complex before?

Bic: Being back in Boston was great. It's a wonderful city with tons of great restaurants and points of interest for tourists. I had never played at BC's new complex but we trained on the football field on matchday. Having played for BC's coach Ed Kelly for club soccer in Boston, we actually played a few matches on the football field because it was the soccer field at that point in time as well.

TSF: UNC went out of the ACC tournament on penalties and many were surprised to see freshman Brooks Haggerty substituted for senior Justin Hughes who played the entire match. Does Brooks have a track record of specializing at stopping penalties?

Bic: Brooks had stopped a surprising number of penalties in the practices leading up to the tournament. I don't think anybody was really anticipating the substitution, however, we all had confidence in Brooks' ability to save penalties.

TSF: Based on having played all the ACC teams once this year, who do you favor to take the ACC Tourney title now that Wake Forest, Maryland, University of Virginia, and Duke are left in the mix?

Bic: That's a tough call. My vote would go to either Wake or Maryland.

TSF: Now the Tar Heels have to wait and see if you get a bid to the NCAA tournament. Do you think UNC deserves a bid based on your record this season?

Bic: I think it would be a travesty for us not to get a bid for the tournament. Despite our record we are one of the best teams in the country. The ACC is by far the most competitive conference in the NCAA and I'm sure that will be considered when the draw is made.


Stephen Bickford, a sophmore forward at UNC and Green Hope (Cary) High School alum, will be sharing his thoughts on the Tar Heels season with Triangle Soccer Fanatics throughout the year.