Colin Rolfe, of the University of Louisville soccer team, is already a semifinalist for college soccer’s top award, the Hermann Trophy. The top three finalists will be announced today by the Missouri Athletic Club. He has nine goals and seven assists this season. The winner will be announced  Jan. 7. (Card Game photo)

By Andrew Melnykovych

Tensing up yet?

A few hours from now, the University of Louisville soccer team takes the field for its first-ever NCAA College Cup semifinal against North Carolina. Tune in ESPNU or ESPN3.com at 8:30 p.m.

UNC is a veteran team making a third straight trip to the College Cup, though it has not won a title the last two times. The opponent has five seniors (all of whom have been invited to the Major League Soccer pre-draft combine — J.T. Murray is the lone UofL invitee), three juniors and no true freshmen.

  • Both teams are strong defensively, with a slight edge to UNC in goals allowed. But UofL has been hitting the back of net more often, averaging 2.14 goals per game, about half a goal more than UNC.
  • While regular season form means nothing at tournament time, UofL and UNC have fared similarly against their only two common opponents. The Cards tied Duke and beat NC State; UNC beat Duke and NC State (twice). UofL has been the hotter team in the tournament, winning all three matches in regulation, while UNC has gone to penalty kicks all three times.
  • Each team features a Hermann Award (the soccer Heisman) semifinalist: Colin Rolfe for the Cards and senior midfielder Michael Farfan for UNC. The three finalists will be announced Friday.
  • As they did last week, the Cards face off against a school with which they have a rich history in basketball, but none in soccer. We’re thinking they make history this weekend …

FINAL THOUGHT: This year’s College Cup could signal a return of soccer dominance to the heartland. Through the 1970s and 1980s, teams from the midsection– notably St. Louis and Indiana — dominated the college game. In the 90s and 00s, power shifted to the coasts, with only Indiana consistently in the top echelon from these parts. This year three of four teams are from within a few hundred miles of each other in the Midwest. Let’s hope it’s a trend.

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