North Carolina
Virginia
Tar Heels Kick Off ACC Play With A Victory
September 19, 2004 | Field Hockey
Sept. 19, 2004
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The North Carolina field hockey team opened Atlantic Coast Conference play with a win Sunday afternoon, shutting out visiting Virginia 4-0 at Francis E. Henry Stadium. No. 3 UNC improved to 8-0 (1-0 ACC) with the win while the Cavaliers fell to 5-3 (0-1 ACC).
Sophomore Rachel Dawson scored twice for the Tar Heels, both times on penalty corners, and senior Kelsey Keeran and redshirt freshman Liz Morris contributed goals from the field. The UNC defense registered its fifth shutout of the season and second of the weekend following a 1-0 win over No. 7 Old Dominion on Saturday.
"To shut out two great opponents, both top-10 teams, is significant," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "We're improving on defense and I'm proud of our effort. It was a great weekend overall."
The only goal the Tar Heels would need came less than 10 minutes into the game on the team's second penalty corner of the afternoon. Dawson's score was assisted by sophomore Brooke Miller on the push-in and senior Laura Douglas on the stick stop assisted. Carolina increased its lead just before halftime when Keeran scored an unassisted goal with 19 seconds on the clock.
 Rachel Dawson scored a pair of goals against Virginia.  |
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Morris tallied the first goal of her career with 13:36 remaining in the game when she pushed a rebound past Virginia goalkeeper Katherine Blair. Dawson's second goal, again assisted by Miller and Douglas, came with 5:34 to play.
Junior Katy Tran started in goal for UNC and registered three first-half saves. Redshirt freshman Marie Bounds entered the game with nine minutes to play and preserved the shutout with a save of her own. UNC had 19 shots in the game to five by Virginia and eight corners to the Cavaliers' four.
Next up for the Tar Heels is a visit from Appalachian State, which travels to Chapel Hill on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. game at Henry Stadium.
No. 3 North Carolina 4, No. 10 Virginia 0
Scoring: UNC - Rachel Dawson (Brooke Miller, Laura Douglas), 1st, 26:33; UNC - Kelsey Keeran, 1st, 0:19; UNC - Liz Morris, 2nd, 13:36; UNC - Dawson (Miller, Douglas), 2nd, 5:34
Shots: UNC 19, Virginia 5
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 4 (Katy Tran 3, Marie Bounds 1), Virginia 7 (Katherine B lair)
Defensive saves: UNC 0, Virginia 1 (Erin Hayes)
Penalty corners: UNC 8, Virginia 4
Records: UNC 8-0, Virginia 5-3
