North Carolina
Kent State
No. 7 Tar Heels Fall In Double OT
October 6, 2002 | Field Hockey
Oct. 6, 2002
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Kent State goalkeeper Jessica Creede made 26 saves and hit the deciding penalty stroke Sunday afternoon as the Golden Flashes defeated North Carolina 2-1 in double overtime in a field hockey matchup at Francis E. Henry Stadium. Tenth-ranked Kent State improved to 8-2 with the win, while seventh-ranked UNC fell to 7-5.
The Tar Heels had 47 shots in the game, but connected on just one, by sophomore Laura Douglas in the second half. The goal, off a rebound of a save by Creede, put UNC up 1-0 in the 44th minute of play. Less than two minutes later, Kent State scored on a penalty corner, with senior Helen Jerdan blasting the goal on assists by senior Kristen Johnson and junior Rebecca Rahaim.
The game stayed knotted at 1-1 throughout the rest of the 70-minute regulation and through two 15-minute sudden-death overtime periods. After that, the game went to penalty strokes, with the winning point going to whichever team made the best of five. Carolina went first on the alternating attempts and made two of its five tries. After her teammates made two of their first four, Creede put the final attempt into the upper left-hand corner of the net to give Kent State the win.
"Kent State's goalkeeper was the player of the game," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "It was fitting for her to get the winning stroke."
Both teams were coming off double-overtime games, Kent State's a 4-3 win over Ohio on Friday and UNC's a 5-4 win over Duke on Saturday. The Golden Flashes are now 4-0 in overtime games this season, while UNC is 2-2.
The win was Kent State's second in a row at Henry Stadium. On Sept. 22, 2001, the Golden Flashes defeated host UNC 5-4 in overtime.
The Tar Heels dominated the statistics, with 47 shots (33 in regulation, 14 in the overtime periods) to nine by Kent State (seven in regulation, two in the overtime periods). UNC totalled 24 corners, including five in the first overtime and four in the second. Kent State drew nine corners, including two in the second overtime.
"I'm disappointed we lost this game, but I feel positive about the steps we took," Shelton said. "We're making progress."
UNC returns to action this weekend with a pair of road games. On Saturday, the Tar Heels travel to James Madison and on Sunday they play at Virginia.
Kent State 2, North Carolina 1, 2OT and penalty strokes
Scoring: UNC - Laura Douglas, 2nd, 43:33; KSU - Helen Jerdan (Kristen Johnson, Rebecca Rahaim), 2nd, 45:04; KSU - 3-2 on penalty strokes (UNC: Stephanie Fuller, Alison Stewart; KSU: Tess Meuleman, Rebecca Rahaim, Jessica Creede)
Shots: UNC 47, KSU 9
Goalkeeper saves: UNC (Amy Tran) 5; KSU (Jessica Creede) 26
Penalty corners: UNC 24, KSU 9
Penalty strokes (regulation): UNC 0 for 1, KSU 0
Defensive saves: UNC 0, KSU 1 (Helen Jerdan)
UNC starters: Carey Fetting-Smith, Naomi Weatherald, Mary Havell, Meredith Keller, Alison Stewart, Kelsey Keeran, Stephanie Fuller, Kerry Falgowski, Laura Douglas, Karen Mann
UNC substitutes: Alex Otto
