Call it spring scrimmaging with a vengeance.

The UNCW men’s soccer team challenged itself with an ambitious exhibition schedule that includes national power Duke, Michigan, Duquesne and two minor-league teams, the PSL’s Wilmington Hammerheads and the A-League’s Syracuse Salty Dogs.

So far, the Seahawks have started strongly, topping Duke and the Hammerheads by 2-1 scores.

Rick Henderson scored the game-winning goal with 92 seconds left against the Hammerheads.

“It’s a great confidence booster, not only for me, but for the entire team. We’re trying to build a program here and to win against a top-level team like the Wilmington Hammerheads is great for our program,” Henderson said.

Trying to improve off last year’s 10-7-3 record, UNCW hopes that it will compete with CAA and national powers William & Mary and Virginia Commonwealth.

And that lead to a much-improved spring season.

“We always tell the kids we always want to play the best competition we can because that’s the way we’re going to get better,” coach Aidan Heaney said. “In years gone by, we’ve played seven-a-side tournaments, but we want the kids to compete against the best. I’m not worried about the results to be honest with you. I want to see how we perform.”The scrimmages make up part of a spring schedule that mostly focuses on working out.

“We’re probably working hard now, because this is the time as a coaching staff that we can improve and spend more time with the team,” Heaney said. “Physically the guys are working extremely hard in the gym and in the weight room. So from that perspective, we’re trying to really upgrade and get better. And the kids are buying into that and the product is winning.

“I think physically we’re a lot stronger. We’re fitter. Our fitness levels are better. We’ve definitely become more confident. Technically, our kids are getting better because we’ve spent a lot of time on improving the overall technique. … We’re passing the ball better than we have. So there’s a lot of things that have improved,” Heaney said.And all that showed against the Hammerheads.

“They’re enjoying it,” Heaney said. “It’s great camaraderie. They want to play these games even though we say the result isn’t the be all and end all of the game. But they also realize that winning is a habit, too. They’re fighting tooth-and-nail and scoring in the last minute against the Hammerheads. They said we won’t be happy with a tie, ‘we want to go on and want to win the game and that’s admirable.”The players find it “admirable,” too.

“I think it’s team unity,” Henderson said. “Because we’ve been training together since the first day back from Christmas Break and crack-of-dawn, 6 a.m. since the beginning of January and hard work pays off.”