UNC Closes Out Regular Season With 6-4 Win At Liberty

Sunday, October 29

Lynchburg, Va.

1:00 PM

North Carolina

(13-4)

Liberty

(7-10)

North Carolina

Liberty

UNC beat Liberty 6-4 on Sunday afternoon.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

October 29, 2017 | Field Hockey

Box Score Box Score (.pdf)

Malin Evert scored four times in the victory.

By: UNC Athletic Communications

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Sixth-ranked North Carolina wrapped up the field hockey regular season on Sunday afternoon with a 6-4 win at Liberty. Junior Malin Evert scored a career-high four goals and freshman Meredith Sholder added the other two as the Tar Heels equaled their second-highest scoring output of the season.

"I'm very pleased to come away with win," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "Liberty is a tough place to play. They're well-coached and dangerous, and we knew that coming in."

Next up for the Tar Heels (13-4) is the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship next week in Louisville, Ky. UNC is the fifth seed and opens against fourth-seeded Wake Forest at 11 a.m. Thursday.

Sunday's game was eventful by field hockey standards, including 10 goals and periods of pouring rain, in addition to second-half sunshine. The Tar Heels took the lead for good just over three minutes in when Evert scored her first goal on a rebound off the Liberty keeper. Seven minutes later, in the 11th minute of play, Evert made it 2-0 on a penalty corner goal, assisted by sophomore Feline Guenther and senior Gab Major. In the 15th minute the Tar Heels made it 3-0, with freshman Meredith Sholder scoring on a feed from sophomore Marissa Creatore. Evert made it a hat trick in the 23rd minute, scoring on a feed from junior Eva van't Hoog to make the score 4-0.

Liberty got on the board in the 32nd minute on a penalty stroke by Agueda Moroni, who finished the day with two goals and an assist.

Evert opened the scoring in the second half, sending an unassisted shot into the left side of the cage just 91 seconds into the period. Liberty scored again in the 48th minute on its first penalty corner of the afternoon. Ashley Dykema deflected in a shot from Moroni to make the score 5-2. Four minutes later the Lady Flames drew another corner and again scored, with Moroni on the goal, assisted by Dykema and Summer Parker.

In the 61st minute, UNC scored on a penalty corner, with Major inserting to Sholder, who blasted a shot into the cage to make the lead 6-3. Liberty added another goal in the 63rd minute, when Jill Bolton's unassisted goal made the final score 6-4. It marked the first time this season UNC has given up more than three goals in a game.

The Tar Heels finished with 22 shots, including 13 in the first half. Liberty had seven, with six of them coming in the second half.

"I'm proud of way we started – the first 20 minutes was fantastic," Shelton said. "We didn't play as well defensively in the second half and I credit Liberty for that. When you turn the ball over, they will punish you and that happened."

After busing back to Chapel Hill on Sunday afternoon, the Tar Heels have two days to rest and prepare before they head to Louisville early Wednesday morning and dive into the post-season on Thursday. "It was good to finish out the regular season on a high note today," Shelton said. "We're excited to have a quick turnaround and head for Louisville.

"Anyone we play in the ACC is a tough battle. I think Liberty prepared us well."

No. 6 UNC 6, Liberty 4
Scoring: UNC – Malin Evert, 3:20; UNC – Evert (Gab Major, Feline Guenther), 10:39; UNC – Meredith Sholder (Marissa Creatore), 14:55; UNC – Evert (Eva van't Hoog), 22:50; LU – Agueda Moroni (penalty stroke), 31:24; UNC – Evert, 36:31; LU – Ashley Dykema (Moroni), 47:45; LU – Moroni (Dykema, Summer Parker), 51:46; UNC – Sholder (Major), 60:56; LU – Jill Bolton, 62:09
Shots: UNC 22 (13/9); LU 7 (1/6)
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 3 (Amanda Hendry, 40:31, 1 goal allowed, 1 save; Alex Halpin, 29:29; 3 goals allowed, 2 saves); LU 9 (Allison Schaefer, 70:00, 6 goals allowed, 9 saves)
Records: UNC 13-4, Liberty 7-10

UNC starters: Amanda Hendry, Eef Andriessen, Cassie Sumfest, Ashley Hoffman, Feline Guenther, Malin Evert, Morgan Goetz, Eva Smolenaars, Eva van't Hoog, Gab Major, Marissa Creatore
UNC subs: Meredith Sholder, Leila Evans, Bryn Boylan, Catherine Hayden, Courtnie Williamson, Megan DuVernois, Alex Halpin