Tar Heels Top No. 4 Duke 2-1 At Henry Stadium

Friday, October 16

Henry Stadium (Chapel Hill, N.C.)

6:00 PM

North Carolina

(12-1 (4-1))

Duke

(10-4 (2-3))

Team	1	2	Final F
Duke	1	0	1
North Carolina	2	0	2

October 17, 2015 | Field Hockey

Box Score

By: UNC Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Third-ranked North Carolina held off fourth-ranked Duke to earn an Atlantic Coast Conference field hockey victory 2-1 Friday evening at Francis E. Henry Stadium. The Tar Heels improved to 12-1 on the season, 4-1 in conference play with the win, while Duke fell to 10-4 (2-3 ACC).

“I'm very happy for our team, to come away with a victory,” UNC coach Karen Shelton said. “I thought it was a typical Duke-Carolina matchup – very hard-fought and physical and intense. Both teams, I thought, gave it everything that they had. It's not easy to score on Duke and we're happy to come away with a big win.”

UNC freshman Malin Evert scored the gamewinner in the sixth minute when she gathered the ball near the top of the circle and launched a hard shot past Duke keeper Lauren Blazing. The Tar Heels scored again in the 27th minute, on their first penalty corner of the game. Freshman Ashley Hoffman sent the ball into a crowd near the goal and senior Casey Di Nardo was able to get a stick on it and direct it in for a 2-0 lead.

Duke closed the gap just before halftime when freshman Rose Tynan ripped a shot from the top of the circle past UNC goalkeeper Shannon Johnson and into the right side of the cage to make the score 2-1 at halftime.

“We wanted to have a quick start – I think getting an early goal was important for us and also getting that second one, of course,” Shelton said. “We weren't thrilled with the two big turnovers that led to their goal. I think we made some adjustments in the second half and we were able to move the ball a little bit better, a little more cleanly. Duke kept coming at us. They're a tough team and a formidable opponent.”

Neither team was able to get a goal in the second half, despite opportunities. UNC had nine of its 15 shots in the second half and Duke got off three, to no avail. With 2:48 to play in the game, Duke coach Pam Bustin called a timeout and pulled Blazing in favor of an extra field player, but the Blue Devils were unable to mount a threat.

Blazing finished with six saves for the Blue Devils. Johnson – whose older sister, Aileen, started in the midfield for Duke – made three saves in earning her 14th win of the year.

“It's a learning opportunity for our team to have to grind out a win at home,” Shelton said. “I said we had to find a way to win and we did.”

Next up for the Tar Heels is a trip to VCU on Sunday. UNC meets the Rams in Richmond at 2 p.m.

No. 3 North Carolina 2, No. 4 Duke 1

Scoring: UNC – Malin Evert, 5:31; UNC – Casey Di Nardo (Ashley Hoffman), 26:58; Duke – Rose Tynan, 33:24

Shots: UNC 15 (6/9), Duke 9 (6/3)

Penalty corners: UNC 4 (1/3), Duke 5 (4-1)

Goalkeeper saves: UNC 3 (Shannon Johnson, 70:00, 1 goal allowed, 3 saves); Duke 6 (Lauren Blazing, 67:12, 2 goals allowed, 6 saves; Team, 2:48, 0 goals allowed, 0 saves)

Records: UNC 12-1 (4-1 ACC), Duke 10-4 (2-3 ACC)

UNC starters: Shannon Johnson, Lauren Moyer, Kristy Bernatchez, Emily Wold, Nina Notman, Ashley Hoffman, Malin Evert, Julia Young, Casey Di Nardo, Eva van't Hoog, Gab Major