Craddock's Goal Lifts Tar Heels In Overtime

Friday, September 26

Newton, Mass.

4:00 PM

North Carolina

Boston College

September 26, 2014 | Field Hockey

By: UNC Athletic Communications

NEWTON, Mass. - Senior Charlotte Craddock scored in the fifth minute of overtime Friday to give the top-ranked North Carolina field hockey team a 3-2 win at No. 6 Boston College. Playing at Newton Field Hockey Complex, the teams traded goals through regulation, and Craddock earned UNC its first lead of the afternoon with her overtime goal, her team-best fourth gamewinner of the season.

UNC improved to 7-1 overall and 2-1 in ACC play with the win, while BC fell to 7-2 overall and 1-1 in league play.

"I'm proud of our Heels," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "It was a gutty win ... on the road for the second weekend in a row, coming to play the sixth-ranked team in the country. I think we played better as the game went on, but there's obviously still room for improvement."

BC scored first, on the first penalty corner of the game. In the 18th minute of play, sophomore Emily McCoy sent a hard shot at UNC keeper Sassi Ammer and she got a hand on it but wasn't able to stop it. The ball went off her and into the goal, assisted by Nina Baumberger.

UNC tied the score in the 28th minute, when senior Loren Shealy launched a ball from the top right side of the circle to make it 1-1. Shealy's goal was her sixth of the season.

In the second half, BC again pulled ahead, scoring in the 42nd minute. On the Eagles' second corner of the half, Ammer saved the first shot but sophomore Leah Frome grabbed the rebound to the right of the cage and put it in for a 2-1 lead.

Carolina tied the score in the 48th minute on a goal from freshman Gab Major, assisted by junior Nina Notman. Major's fourth career goal, on a reverse stick, made the score 2-2 with just under 23 minutes to play in regulation.

With neither team able to get another goal, the game went into overtime. It was the first extra time of the season for Carolina, but the fourth in the past five games for the Eagles. Craddock's goal from mid-circle, her team-best eighth of the fall, gave UNC its second conference win.

"There's so much parity in the ACC that any win is a quality win," Shelton said. "I thought BC and North Carolina both fought very hard. Both teams had opportunities. Sometimes it goes your way in overtime and it went our way today."

The Tar Heels now stay in Newton to face No. 2 Connecticut in a neutral-site game at BC's field on Sunday at noon. The game is UNC's second 1-vs.-2 matchup of the season (the first game was at Maryland on Sept. 5, when No. 2 UNC won 3-1 against the top-ranked Terrapins) and is a rematch of last season's NCAA semifinal game, which the Huskies won 2-1 in a penalty shootout en route to their national title. For Shelton, this weekend's schedule and level of competition both bring to mind a final four setting.

"This is what we wanted: a hard-fought game and overtime experience," Shelton said. "To come away with a win and now to have to turn around and play the No. 2 team in the country is invaluable. Even if we had lost today, this still would have been great experience for us."

No. 1 UNC 3, No. 6 Boston College 2, OT

Scoring: BC - Emily McCoy (Nina Baumberger), 17:26; UNC - Loren Shealy, 27:26; BC - Leah Frome, 41:14; UNC - Gab Major (Nina Notman), 47:50; UNC - Charlotte Craddock, 73:37

Shots: UNC 19 (8/10/1); BC 6 (3/3/0)

Penalty corners: UNC 6 (0/6/0); BC 3 (1/2/0)

Goalkeeper saves: UNC 2 (Sassi Ammer, 73:37, 2 saves, 2 goals allowed); BC 8 (Leah Settipane, 73:37, 8 saves, 3 goals allowed)

Defensive saves: Abby Frey 1

Records: UNC 7-1 (2-1 ACC); BC 7-1 (1-1 ACC)

UNC starters: Sassi Ammer, Loren Shealy, Kristy Bernatchez, Samantha Travers, Charlotte Craddock, Emily Wold, Nina Notman, Julia Young, Lauren Moyer, Casey Di Nardo, Abby Frey