University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Maryland
Tar Heels Fall In Rainy Title Game
November 20, 2011 | Field Hockey
Nov. 20, 2011
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - On the heels of an overtime victory in the NCAA semifinals on Friday, the top-ranked North Carolina field hockey team found itself on the flip side of a thriller on Sunday afternoon, falling 3-2 in overtime to Maryland in the NCAA Championship game at Trager Stadium. UNC led 2-0 with less than four minutes remaining in the game, but the Terrapins scored once in the 67th minute and again with no time on the clock to send the game into overtime. In the extra period, Maryland sophomore Jill Witmer scored an unassisted goal in the 81st minute to give her team the title.
"We're very disappointed not to have won the national championship," said UNC coach Karen Shelton, who was going for her seventh title in 31 seasons at Carolina. "As thrilling as it was on Friday night, it was as heartbreaking today for our team and particularly our seniors. In sport, games can swing on a couple of decisions or big plays. Congratulations to the University of Maryland for doing what we did to UConn just a couple of nights ago.
"I couldn't be prouder of the seniors on our team, who really played outstanding. Everybody played their hearts out. In the end Maryland got the goals when they needed to and found away to win. Again, we're very, very disappointed, but I'm very proud of the young women who represent the University of North Carolina and I'm proud of the way we played. I think we played the kind of game we wanted to play and we put ourselves in a position to win. In the closing minutes it slipped away from us and Maryland had a lot to do with that."
The championship is the eighth in program history for Maryland (19-4). UNC (23-2), which was playing for its third title in the past five years, fell to the Terrapins in overtime in the championship game for the second year in row.
On a rainy day that made for slick field conditions, senior Elizabeth Stephens scored both UNC goals, with each coming on an assist from junior Kelsey Kolojejchick. Eight minutes into the game, Kolojejchick sent a pass from the right side across the cage to Stephens, who tipped it in from the far post. The Tar Heels led 1-0 at halftime after outshooting Maryland 9-1 in the first period.
UNC's second goal came with just under eight minutes remaining in the game and was the 11th of the season for Stephens, a forward from St. Louis. Kolojejchick took the ball to the right of the cage then fed Stephens, who fired it into the net behind UM keeper Melissa Vassalotti, who made eight saves on the day.
Carolina carried the shutout into the 67th minute, when Maryland got on the board for the first time on a goal by Katie Gerzabek, assisted by Harriet Tibble from the right side of the circle. Still trailing by one, the Terrapins drew a penalty corner in the closing seconds, and the clock ran down to zero, leaving only the completion of the corner before the end of the game. Just as she had in the UNC-Maryland matchup in Chapel Hill last month, UM senior Jemma Buckley scored on the play with no time on the clock. Her goal on a flick to the left side of the cage tied the score at 2-2 and sent the game into overtime.
UNC and Maryland also went into overtime in the 2010 title game. In that one, Maryland scored in the 98th minute of play, after the teams had battled almost all the way through a second overtime period. This time, the game didn't go nearly as long. Ten minutes into the first overtime, Witmer subbed into the game and immediately took the ball into the circle, sending an unassisted shot from the right side past UNC keeper Sassi Ammer.
Carolina advanced to the final by coming back from a three-goal deficit in the semifinal game Friday against Connecticut and scoring twice in the final minute of play to force overtime.
Sunday's game was the final Carolina contest for five UNC seniors: Teryn Brill, Meghan Dawson, Katelyn Falgowski, Taryn Gjurich and Stephens. All were in the starting lineup for the title game.
Three Tar Heels were named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team. Falgowski was honored for the third time, following selections in 2007 and 2009. Kolojejchick was honored for the second year in a row, and junior defender Caitlin Van Sickle earned the honor for the first time in her career.
No. 3 Maryland 3, No. 1 UNC 2, OT
Scoring: UNC - Elizabeth Stephens (Kelsey Kolojejchick), 8:03; UNC - Stephens (Kolojejchick); UM - Katie Gerzabek (Harriet Tibble), 66:14; UM - Jemma Buckley (Janessa Pope, Meghan Frazer), 70:00; UM - Jill Witmer, 80:09
Shots: UNC 13 (9/2/2); UM 6 (1/4/1)
Penalty corners: UNC 6 (4/2/0); UM 5 (1/2/2)
Saves: UNC 1 (Sassi Ammer, 80:09, 1 save, 3 goals allowed); UM 8 (Melissa Vassalotti, 79:10, 8 saves, 2 goals allowed; Christine Knauss, 0:59)
Records: UNC 23-2, UM 19-4
