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Virginia's Rally Falls Short in 3-2 Loss at No. 1 UNC
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The third-ranked Virginia field hockey team (11-2, 1-2 ACC) came back from a 2-0 halftime deficit to tie the game late but fell short in a 3-2 loss a top-ranked North Carolina (15-0, 4-0 ACC) Saturday in Chapel Hill, N.C. Freshman Katie Robinson notched her first career goal while teammate Elly Buckley also scored for the Cavaliers.
UNC’s Kelsey Kolojejchick scored the game-winner with 4:50 to play in the contest. On a penalty corner, the 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year deflected in teammate Marta Malmberg’s initial shot from the top of the circle. It was her second goal of the game and her 14th of the year.
Down 2-0 at halftime, the Cavaliers rallied to score twice in the second stanza and eventually tied the game on Buckley’s goal in the 58th minute. Buckley (Perth, Australia) picked up the ball off a Tar Heel defender and dribbled though traffic until she found an open shot, putting the ball just between UNC goalkeeper Jackie Kintzer and the right post.
Virginia finally got on the board in the 51st minute when Robinson (Mount Joy, Pa.) tallied her first career goal. Teammate Paige Selenski (Shavertown, Pa.) took control of the ball and charged toward the cage, dishing it to Robison on the left post and deflecting the ball in the net.
UVa’s two scores marked the first time this season UNC has allowed more than one goal. The Tar Heel defense had given up just six scores on the year entering the game.
“North Carolina came out and played a strong first half,” Virginia head coach Michele Madison said. “We pulled it together in the second half and the press started working. We started attacking like we know how to attack, and when we do that, we score goals.”
For the contest, North Carolina outshot Virginia 12-10 and registered five penalty corners to UVa’s four. Virginia senior goalkeeper Kim Kastuk (Putnam Valley, N.Y.) tallied seven saves in the game; UNC did not have a single save.
“We took good shots,” Madison continued. “Katie was on the post where she was supposed to be. We had a couple near-misses, like field hockey always has. Overall the team effort was where it needs to be to knock off a No. 1 team. We have to fix a couple little details and get ready for William & Mary.”
North Carolina went on an offensive surge late in the first half. With six minutes to play, the Tar Heels took a 1-0 lead a Kolojejchick’s score. Her shot from the top of the circle deflected off a UVa defender and the ball went up and over Kastuk and into the cage.
Less than three minutes later, on a broken corner, Kolojejchick found teammate Katie Ardrey on the far post for a 2-0 lead heading into the halftime break.
UNC has won its last 19 games dating back to last season. The last loss for the Tar Heels came against Virginia in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament, a 1-0 UVa victory in Charlottesville.
The Cavaliers welcome in-state rival William & Mary for a 6 p.m. contest Monday at the University Hall Turf Field.