UNC Completes Winning Weekend With Senior Day Shutout

Sunday, October 3

Chapel Hill, N.C.

1:00 PM

North Carolina

Radford

October 3, 2004 | Field Hockey

By: UNC Athletic Communications

Oct. 3, 2004

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The North Carolina field hockey team, undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the nation, celebrated Senior Day Sunday afternoon with a 9-0 win over Radford at Francis E. Henry Stadium. UNC improved to 14-0 with the win, while Radford fell to 3-5.

"We play such a tough schedule that we don't have many games like this, so today was fun," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "We were able to relax a little and that was nice, especially after a game like yesterday's."

On Saturday, the Tar Heels beat No. 2 Wake Forest 3-2, but it took two overtime periods and penalty strokes to decide the game. Following that excitement, UNC controlled Sunday's contest from the outset. After honoring the team's five seniors - Laura Douglas, Kerry Falgowski, Carey Fetting-Smith, Kelsey Keeran and Katy Potter - in pregame ceremonies, the Tar Heels took just over seven minutes to score the only goal they would need. On a penalty corner with 27:57 remaining in the half, sophomore Brooke Miller deflected a Rachel Dawson shot into the goal to put UNC up 1-0. Scores by sophomore Laree Beans and Douglas put Carolina up 3-0 at halftime.

In the second half of their highest scoring game of the season, the Tar Heels got goals from Karen Mann, Dawson, Laura Lembke, Douglas, Falgowski and Fetting-Smith, who dove to tip in a pass from Potter with 2:18 to play to make the score 9-0. The only one of the seniors who didn't have a goal or an assist was Keeran, whose playing time was limited by a finger injury.

"This was a great weekend for our seniors and we were excited to honor them today," Shelton said. "They provide outstanding leadership for our team and have really been crucial to our success."

The Highlanders had one first-half shot on their only penalty corner of the day. Goalkeeper Amy Dietz made 11 saves as the Tar Heels got off 38 shots. The shutout was UNC's ninth of the year.

Sunday's game was the final home contest of the regular season for UNC. The Tar Heels finish their schedule with five road games in a row, beginning with next Sunday's rematch with Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C. Next up for Radford is a game at Appalachian State on Wednesday.

No. 1 North Carolina 9, Radford 0

Scoring:
UNC - Brooke Miller (Rachel Dawson), 1st, 27:57;
UNC - Laree Beans (Miller), 1st, 12:18;
UNC - Laura Douglas (Karen Mann), 1st, 3:26;
UNC - Mann (Heather Kendell), 2nd, 32:40;
UNC - Dawson (Miller, Douglas), 2nd, 31:32;
UNC - Laura Lembke, 2nd, 25:30;
UNC - Douglas, 2nd, 24:35;
UNC - Kerry Falgowski, 2nd, 4:48;
UNC - Carey Fetting-Smith (Katy Potter), 2nd, 2:18