North Carolina
Maryland (ACC Tournament)
Tar Heels End Season With Loss
November 8, 2002 | Field Hockey
Nov. 8, 2002
DURHAM, N.C. - The North Carolina field hockey team saw its 2002 season come to a sudden-death end Friday evening with a 3-2 overtime loss to fourth-ranked Maryland in an ACC Tournament semifinal game. A goal by forward Jackie Ciconte in the 83rd minute earned the Terrapins a spot in Sunday's ACC Championship game, where they'll face the winner of Friday's second semifinal game between Duke and Wake Forest.
Carolina, ranked No. 13 in this week's national poll, finished the season with a 9-11 record, the team's first losing mark since 1981. A .500 record is required for a bid to the NCAA Tournament field, leaving UNC out for the first time since 1982.
North Carolina came into the tournament knowing it had to win the ACC championship to make the NCAA Tournament field. The players said that pressure just made the game more fun. "Being in this position was exciting," said midfielder Meredith Keller, one of three senior captains. "I wish the outcome had been different, but games like this are why you play. "
Playing at Duke's Williams Field, the Tar Heels jumped up on Maryland early, with a goal by sophomore Katy Potter in the sixth minute of play off a rebound. UNC went ahead 2-0 in the 14th minute when sophomore forward Kerry Falgowski drew Maryland goalkeeper Kerry Hearsey out on a breakaway and laid the ball into the goal.
Maryland controlled the second half of play, scoring its first goal just two minutes into the period. After a save by UNC goalkeeper Amy Tran, Carissa Messimer slapped the ball in on an assist by Katrin Rumer. The Terrapins tied the game in the 53rd minute on a penalty corner shot by Izzy Palmer, assisted by Rumer and Kateri Simon.
In the seven-on-seven overtime period, UNC had the first two shots, both off of corners, but couldn't connect. Just over two minutes before the game would have gone to a second overtime period, Ciconte took a pass from Colleen Barbieri and put a shot behind Tran for the win. "It was a great game," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "I'm disappointed that we lost, but it was a well-played game, back and forth. It could have gone either way. I thought we played exceptionally well in the first half to get the lead."
UNC lost an overtime game in the ACC semfinals for the fourth time in the last five years. The Tar Heels met Wake Forest in last year's semifinal and were ousted by the same score as Friday's loss to Maryland.
The game was UNC's sixth overtime contest of the 2002 season, the most in one year since 1993. The Tar Heels were 2-4 in extra period games.
Friday's loss ended the collegiate careers of three seniors: Keller, Tran and back Stephanie Fuller. All three were starters and served as captains. "I'm disappointed for these seniors, because we have a great team," Shelton said. "We've gone toe-to-toe with very good teams all season and have fallen a little short in some games. But this team has fought through adversity and they've battled back every time. They've never quit. Those are the most important things in athletics."
No. 4 Maryland 3, No. 13 North Carolina 2, OT
Scoring:
UNC - Katy Potter, 1st, 5:51
UNC - Kerry Falgowski, 1st, 13:49
UM - Carissa Messimer (Katrin Rumer)
UM - Izzy Palmer (Rumer, Kateri Simon)
UM - Jackie Ciconte (Colleen Barbieri)
Shots: UNC 8, UM 12
Goalkeeper saves: UNC (Amy Tran) 5, UM (Kerry Hearsey) 3
Penalty corners: UNC 9, UM 7
