Carolina Opens ACC Play With 4-1 Win Over No. 7 Louisville

Friday, September 20

Chapel Hill

5:00 PM

North Carolina

(6-0, 1-0ACC)

Louisville

(6-1, 0-1ACC)

Louisville

North Carolina

The Tar Heels celebreate the penalty corner goal by Erin Matson that put them up 2-0.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

September 20, 2019 | Field Hockey

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By: UNC Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – In a top-10 field hockey battle between conference rivals, No. 1 North Carolina beat No. 7 Louisville 4-1 Friday evening at Karen Shelton Stadium in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams. The Tar Heels improved to 6-0 this fall, while the Cardinals fell to 6-1.

"I'm absolutely delighted with the win," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "Louisville is an exceptionally well-coached team and a very talented team."

UNC returns to action Sunday at Appalachian State to kick off a string of three consecutive road games, traveling to Boone to face the Mountaineers then making trips to Virginia and James Madison next weekend before returning to Shelton Stadium to host Duke on Oct. 4.

The Tar Heels made sure they wrapped up this four-game homestand with a win, but as UNC coach Shelton would say afterward, it was not as lopsided a game as the score would suggest.

Louisville was on the offensive to start the game, with four shots and two penalty corners before UNC got off a single shot. But when the Tar Heels got that first one, they scored and never gave up the lead. A pair of sophomore subs teamed up for the gamewinner, with Abby Pitcairn sending a long pass from the left sideline into the circle and Riley Fulmer deflecting it past the keeper for a 1-0 lead.

"Credit to Riley coming off the bench to get that first one," Shelton said. "The first goal is always critical, so I'm really proud of her."

Early in the second period, the Tar Heels were awarded a penalty stroke and an opportunity to go up 2-0. The Cardinals brought in keeper Sam Minrath off the bench, and she saved UNC sophomore Erin Matson's shot to keep the Tar Heels from extending their lead.

On that shot, anyway. Less than a minute later UNC drew a penalty corner, and this time Matson would not be denied. Assisted by Pitcairn on the insert and senior Feline Guenther on the stop, she sent a hard shot toward the cage, where it deflected in off a defender's stick to make the score 2-0 after all.

With 25 seconds remaining before halftime, Matson added another goal on a penalty corner. Senior Yentl Leemans took the first shot, which was blocked. Matson got the rebound and scored to make it 3-0 Tar Heels at the break.

Three minutes into the third quarter, UNC got its fourth goal of the game and third off a penalty corner. On Carolina's first corner after halftime and fifth of the game, Matson's shot was blocked by a Louisville defender. The Tar Heels were awarded another corner, and this time they scored, with junior Eva Smolenaars deflecting in a ball from Leemans on the right post.

That made it 4-0, and UNC appeared on its way to a third consecutive shutout before Louisville scored on a penalty corner with just 1:20 remaining in the game. The Cardinals' goal, on a deflection by Alli Bitting, came on their eighth penalty corner and 16^th shot of the night. For the game, they edged UNC in both categories as the Tar Heels finished with 12 shots and seven corners. (At halftime the teams were tied with seven shots each and four penalty corners each.)

"We expected a tough battle and we got one – the scoreboard doesn't tell the story of the game," Shelton said. "I think our team made progress from last week to this week and that's what we're looking to do – we're always looking to improve.

There were some amazing moments in that game, some that we scored on and some that we didn't. I feel good about our group, as long as we stay humble and hard-working and we keep getting better."

No. 1 UNC 4, No. 7 Louisville 1
Scoring: UNC – Riley Fulmer (Abby Pitcairn), 8:29; UNC – Erin Matson (Feline Guenther, Abby Pitcairn), 18:11; UNC – Erin Matson, 29:35; UNC – Eva Smolenaars (Yentl Leemans), 33:00; UL – Alli Bitting (Bethany Russ), 58:40
Shots: UNC 12 (2/5/2/3), UL 16 (4/3/3/6)
Penalty corners: UNC 7 (0/4/2/1), UL 8 (2/2/1/3)
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 7 (Amanda Hendry, 45:00, 3 saves, 0 goals allowed; Alex Halpin, 15:00, 4 saves, 1 goal allowed), UL 4 (Hollyn Barr, 60:00, 3 saves, 4 goals allowed; Sam Minrath, 00:00, 1 save on penalty stroke)
Records: UNC 6-0 (1-0 ACC), UL 6-1 (0-1 ACC)

UNC starters: Amanda Hendry, Erin Matson, Madison Orobono, Catherine Hayden, Romea Riccardo, Feline Guenther, Yentl Leemans, Eva Smolenaars, Courtnie Williamson, Megan DuVernois, Marissa Creatore
UNC subs: Hannah Griggs, Julia Herrington, Bryn Boylan, Karlijn Goes, Abby Pitcairn, Riley Fulmer, Ellen Payne, Alex Halpin