No. 3 Virginia Falls 4-0 to No. 6 North Carolina
Oct. 6, 2017
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 3 Virginia field hockey team (10-2, 3-1 ACC) suffered a 4-0 loss to No. 6 North Carolina (11-2, 3-1 ACC) on Friday (Oct. 6) at University Hall Turf Field in Charlottesville, Va.
North Carolina scored in the final seconds of the first half and then added three more goals in the second to snap the Cavaliers’ nine-game win streak. This was UVA’s first loss since falling to Penn State on August 27.
“We were defeated by a good Carolina team today,” said Virginia head coach Michele Madison. “We struggled with our own situations. In the past, we have been able to fight through it, but today, we just couldn’t find it. I think the team tried to find it, but it just wouldn’t click. We were just off, and it stayed off. We need to go back and find it.”
The first half was a midfield battle between the two teams, with UNC managing just five shots and Virginia six. The Tar Heels broke the scoreless tie with 35 seconds remaining in the first half after Ashley Hoffman scored after a penalty corner.
North Carolina dominated the second half, outshooting Virginia 17-6 and scoring three times. The Tar Heels struck eight minutes into the period when Catherine Hayden scored off a penalty corner. Marissa Creatore added an insurance goal with ten minutes remaining and Feline Guenther adding the final score in the final four minutes.
Amanda Hendry got the shut out, making five saves, including a pair of on-target attempts from freshman midfielder Pien Dicke (Den Haag, Netherlands). Redshirt junior Carrera Lucas (Brooklandville, Md.) made eight saves, allowing four goals. Freshman Lauren Hausheer (West Windsor, N.J.) played the final 3:15 in goal, but did not face a shot. Senior midfielder Nadine de Koning (Laren, Netherlands) made a defensive save.
Hoffman’s goal brought to an end the Cavalier defense’s streak of 371 minutes without allowing a goal, a streak that spanned six games after beginning in the first half of the William & Mary game on Sept. 15 and included the four shutouts of Richmond, Boston College, Pacific and Wake Forest.
With the loss, Virginia falls into a three-way tie for first place in the ACC with North Carolina and Louisville.
The Cavaliers, who play 11 of their first 13 games at Turf Field, close out the weekend homestand by hosting Drexel (5-7) on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 1 p.m.