GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Following a pair of wins over ranked foes last week, North Carolina swept the ACC Men’s Soccer Player of the Week honors Tuesday, as senior forward Milo Garvanian earned Offensive Player of the Week laurels, while graduate goalkeeper Alec Smir was selected ACC Defensive Player of the Week.
Garvanian recorded three goals last week in the Tar Heels’ shutout wins against No. 15 Loyola Marymount and No. 13 Virginia Tech. He recorded a brace last Tuesday against LMU, scoring both of the Tar Heel goals in the 2-0 victory. A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Garvanian also found the back of the net in the second half Sunday night against Virginia Tech, providing the insurance goal in UNC’s 2-0 triumph in Blacksburg. He played the full 90 minutes in both contests.
Smir was strong in goal and led a pair of stifling UNC defensive performances in the Tar Heels’ two clean sheets last week. He now owns an ACC-best nine shutouts on the season. The native of Greensboro, North Carolina, posted two saves against Loyola Marymount and two more against Virginia Tech. LMU had previously averaged 15.5 shots per game, but UNC allowed just four total. Virginia Tech was limited to just nine total shots.
ACC Men’s Soccer wraps up the regular season this week. The ACC finishes non-conference play tonight with a battle of ranked teams, as No. 15 Clemson entertains No. 17 FIU. Conference play concludes Friday with all 12 teams in action. The day starts at 4:30 p.m. with No. 11 Notre Dame, looking to secure the Coastal Division crown, visiting North Carolina on ESPNU. The Coastal Division crown remains a three-team race, with Notre Dame holding a one-point lead over No. 13 Duke and No. 12 Pitt. Louisville and Clemson square off at 7 p.m. Friday on ACC Network to determine the Atlantic Division champion. The 2021 ACC Championship begins next Thursday, Nov. 4, with first-round matches at campus sites.
Five ACC teams are ranked in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll: Notre Dame (11), Pitt (12), Duke (13), Clemson (15) and Virginia Tech (21).
2021 ACC Offensive Players of the Week
Aug. 31 – Veljko Petkovic, Jr., M, Pitt
Sept. 7 – Stefan Sigurdarson, Jr., F, Boston College
Sept. 14 – Deandre Kerr, So., F, Syracuse
Sept. 21 – Jacob Labovitz, Sr., F, Virginia Tech
Sept. 28 – Matt Bailey, Gr., M, Pitt; Danny Flores, Fr., M, Virginia Tech
Oct. 5 – Thorleifur Ulfarsson, So., F, Duke
Oct. 12 - Daniel Russo, So., F, Notre Dame; Guilherme Feitosa, Fr., M, Pitt
Oct. 19 – Aboubacar Camara, Fr., F, Louisville
Oct. 26 – Milo Garvanian, Sr., M/D, North Carolina
2021 ACC Defensive Players of the Week
Aug. 31 – George Marks, Sr., GK, Clemson
Sept. 7 – Eliot Hamill, Sr., GK, Duke
Sept. 14 – George Marks, Sr., GK, Clemson
Sept. 21 – Eliot Hamill, Sr., GK, Duke
Sept. 28 – Eliot Hamill, Sr., GK, Duke
Oct. 5 – Charlie Asensio, Sr., D, Clemson
Oct. 12 - Philip Quinton, Sr., D, Notre Dame
Oct. 19 – Paddy Burns, So., D, Notre Dame
Oct. 26 – Alec Smir, Gr., GK, North Carolina