North Carolina
Appalachian State
No. 2 Tar Heels Boost Record To 9-0
September 22, 2004 | Field Hockey
Sept. 22, 2004
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The second-ranked North Carolina field hockey team improved to 9-0 with a shutout win over Appalachian State Wednesday evening at Francis E. Henry Stadium. The Tar Heels got goals from five different players in the 6-0 win over the Mountaineers (3-4).
"Our depth is really starting to pay off for us," said UNC coach Karen Shelton, who used 20 players in the win. " We're able to play a lot of people and our level of play doesn't drop off."
UNC's first goal came with 17:10 to remaining in the first half when senior Kelsey Keeran tipped in a pass from freshman Alli Tanner. Four minutes later, Tanner made the score 2-0 with the first goal of her career, assisted by junior Karen Mann.
In the second half, Carolina exploded for four goals, the first three on penalty corners. With 21:41 to play in the game, Mann, back in the lineup after missing the last four games with an injury, tipped in a shot by sophomore Rachel Dawson. Dawson then scored her own goal, on a straight shot assisted by sophomore Brooke Miller on the push-in and senior Laura Douglas on the stick stop. On the next corner attempt, Miller tipped in a rebound after Appalachian State goalkeeper Kate Ryno saved Dawson's initial shot. Keeran, UNC's leading scorer, had the Tar Heels' final goal in the team's highest-scoring game this season.
On a big night for the offense, Shelton was also pleased with her defense, which registered the team's sixth shutout of the fall. "I think that was our most solid defensive performance of the season," she said. "To not give up a shot or a corner is significant."
Next up for the Tar Heels is an Atlantic Coast Conference game on Saturday at fifth-ranked Duke. UNC returns home on Sunday to host William & Mary for a 1 p.m. game.
No. 2 UNC 6, Appalachian State 0
Scoring: UNC - Kelsey Keeran (Alli Tanner), 1st, 17:10; UNC - Tanner (Karen Mann), 1st, 13:08; UNC - Mann (Rachel Dawson), 2nd, 21:41; UNC - Dawson (Brooke Miller, Laura Douglas), 2nd, 15:41; UNC - Miller, 2nd, 12:52; UNC - Keeran, 2nd, 6:02
Shots: UNC 23, ASU 0
Goalkeeper saves: UNC (Katy Tran, Marie Bounds) 0, ASU (Kate Ryno) 11
Penalty corners: UNC 9, ASU 0
Records: UNC 9-0, ASU 3-4
