
Erin Matson, shown in a home game earlier this season, scored four goals in Sunday's 9-0 win at JMU
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Weekend's Second Shutout Boosts Tar Heels To 9-0
September 29, 2019 | Field Hockey
HARRISONBURG, Va. – Top-ranked North Carolina got four goals from sophomore Erin Matson, a hat trick from senior Catherine Hayden and singles from senior Marissa Creatore and sophomore Abby Pitcairn to earn the Tar Heel field hockey team's second shutout win of the weekend on Sunday at James Madison. In a fitting bit of synchronicity, Carolina's 9-0 win bumped the team's record to 9-0 on the season.
Next up for UNC is a home Atlantic Coast Conference matchup with No. 2 Duke on Friday. Game time at Karen Shelton Stadium is 4:30 p.m. and the marquee matchup will be televised by the ACC Network.
Sunday's win over the Dukes was UNC's second shutout of the weekend – following a 5-0 win over No. 5 Virginia Friday in Charlottesville – and fourth of the season. The Tar Heels have allowed two goals in their past five games combined, while the offense has exploded for 36 goals over that same span.
"This was a very challenging game for us on the road and JMU brought a lot of energy and hurried us up," UNC Associate Head Coach Grant Fulton said. "We couldn't let our guard down. They're relentless and dangerous on the fast break, and they pushed us to the end.
"We're happy with the shutout, we passed the ball really well, and once again we took advantage of our opportunities."
Against the Dukes, UNC's offense was on-target throughout, with 14 shots on goal out of a total of 18. Matson took five shots all day, with one saved and the other four making it in. Her first, the gamewinner, came 4:12 into the action, on a pass from Marissa Creatore at the top of the circle.
In the ninth minute the Tar Heels scored again, with Pitcairn gathering the rebound after a save on a penalty corner shot and put it back for a 2-0 lead. It was Pitcairn's first goal of the season and second of her career.
The third goal came from Creatore, on a pass into the circle from senior Yentl Leemans, to make it 3-0 in the 11th minute.
UNC extended the lead early in the second quarter, with Hayden scoring her first of the day when she spun on a defender and chipped the ball just inside the right post.
With four minutes remaining until halftime, Matson scored her second of the day, carrying the ball into the circle and around defenders to send a shot from the left side across the cage and into the right corner.
In the third quarter, on one of four Tar Heel penalty corners in the period, Hayden grabbed the ball on a rebound and put it back to make the score 7-0.
Just 48 seconds later, UNC was awarded a penalty stroke and Matson took it successfully to make it 7-0 Tar Heels.
The next goal was from Hayden, giving her a second hat trick for the season. (She also had one against William & Mary on Sept. 15.) In a crowd in front of the cage, she punched it in to make the score 8-0.
The final goal of the day came from Matson in the final minute of the game to make the score 9-0. Her fourth goal, which came off a pass from junior Bryn Boylan, set a new single-game high for the sophomore, who has scored in all but one game this fall and has four games this season with multiple goals.
The nine goals marked UNC's highest scoring output of the fall.
Junior Amanda Hendry started in goal and made two saves in the closing minutes of the first half. Senior Alex Halpin replaced her for the final 30 minutes as the two combined for the shutout.
UNC led 18-5 on shots and allowed just one JMU shot in the second half. The Tar Heels led 5-2 on penalty corners and turned two of those opportunities into goals.
The game was the Tar Heels' second without head coach Karen Shelton, who missed the weekend trip to Virginia while attending a family wedding. Fulton led the staff in her absence, and she'll rejoin the team as Carolina starts preparation for Friday's matchup with Duke.
No. 1 UNC 9, James Madison 0
Scoring: UNC – Erin Matson (Marissa Creatore), 4:12; UNC – Abby Pitcairn, 8:47; UNC – Marissa Creatore (Yentl Leemans), 10:39; UNC – Catherine Hayden, 17:40; UNC – Erin Matson, 26:00; UNC – Catherine Hayden, 36:02; UNC – Erin Matson (penalty stroke), 36:50; UNC – Catherine Hayden, 50:20; UNC – Erin Matson (Bryn Boylan), 58:11
Shots: UNC 18 (7/2/5/4); JMU 5 (2/2/1/0)
Penalty Corners: UNC 6 (1/0/4/1), JMU 3 (0/2/1/0)
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 2 (Amanda Hendry, 30:00, 2 saves, 0 goals allowed; Alex Halpin, 30:00, 0 saves, 0 goals allowed); JMU 5 (Kylie LeBlanc, 60:00, 5 saves, 9 goals allowed)
Records: UNC 9-0, JMU 3-6
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, Mimi Leonard, Ellen Payne, Alex Halpin
Next up for UNC is a home Atlantic Coast Conference matchup with No. 2 Duke on Friday. Game time at Karen Shelton Stadium is 4:30 p.m. and the marquee matchup will be televised by the ACC Network.
Sunday's win over the Dukes was UNC's second shutout of the weekend – following a 5-0 win over No. 5 Virginia Friday in Charlottesville – and fourth of the season. The Tar Heels have allowed two goals in their past five games combined, while the offense has exploded for 36 goals over that same span.
"This was a very challenging game for us on the road and JMU brought a lot of energy and hurried us up," UNC Associate Head Coach Grant Fulton said. "We couldn't let our guard down. They're relentless and dangerous on the fast break, and they pushed us to the end.
"We're happy with the shutout, we passed the ball really well, and once again we took advantage of our opportunities."
Against the Dukes, UNC's offense was on-target throughout, with 14 shots on goal out of a total of 18. Matson took five shots all day, with one saved and the other four making it in. Her first, the gamewinner, came 4:12 into the action, on a pass from Marissa Creatore at the top of the circle.
In the ninth minute the Tar Heels scored again, with Pitcairn gathering the rebound after a save on a penalty corner shot and put it back for a 2-0 lead. It was Pitcairn's first goal of the season and second of her career.
The third goal came from Creatore, on a pass into the circle from senior Yentl Leemans, to make it 3-0 in the 11th minute.
UNC extended the lead early in the second quarter, with Hayden scoring her first of the day when she spun on a defender and chipped the ball just inside the right post.
With four minutes remaining until halftime, Matson scored her second of the day, carrying the ball into the circle and around defenders to send a shot from the left side across the cage and into the right corner.
In the third quarter, on one of four Tar Heel penalty corners in the period, Hayden grabbed the ball on a rebound and put it back to make the score 7-0.
Just 48 seconds later, UNC was awarded a penalty stroke and Matson took it successfully to make it 7-0 Tar Heels.
The next goal was from Hayden, giving her a second hat trick for the season. (She also had one against William & Mary on Sept. 15.) In a crowd in front of the cage, she punched it in to make the score 8-0.
The final goal of the day came from Matson in the final minute of the game to make the score 9-0. Her fourth goal, which came off a pass from junior Bryn Boylan, set a new single-game high for the sophomore, who has scored in all but one game this fall and has four games this season with multiple goals.
The nine goals marked UNC's highest scoring output of the fall.
Junior Amanda Hendry started in goal and made two saves in the closing minutes of the first half. Senior Alex Halpin replaced her for the final 30 minutes as the two combined for the shutout.
UNC led 18-5 on shots and allowed just one JMU shot in the second half. The Tar Heels led 5-2 on penalty corners and turned two of those opportunities into goals.
The game was the Tar Heels' second without head coach Karen Shelton, who missed the weekend trip to Virginia while attending a family wedding. Fulton led the staff in her absence, and she'll rejoin the team as Carolina starts preparation for Friday's matchup with Duke.
No. 1 UNC 9, James Madison 0
Scoring: UNC – Erin Matson (Marissa Creatore), 4:12; UNC – Abby Pitcairn, 8:47; UNC – Marissa Creatore (Yentl Leemans), 10:39; UNC – Catherine Hayden, 17:40; UNC – Erin Matson, 26:00; UNC – Catherine Hayden, 36:02; UNC – Erin Matson (penalty stroke), 36:50; UNC – Catherine Hayden, 50:20; UNC – Erin Matson (Bryn Boylan), 58:11
Shots: UNC 18 (7/2/5/4); JMU 5 (2/2/1/0)
Penalty Corners: UNC 6 (1/0/4/1), JMU 3 (0/2/1/0)
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 2 (Amanda Hendry, 30:00, 2 saves, 0 goals allowed; Alex Halpin, 30:00, 0 saves, 0 goals allowed); JMU 5 (Kylie LeBlanc, 60:00, 5 saves, 9 goals allowed)
Records: UNC 9-0, JMU 3-6
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, Mimi Leonard, Ellen Payne, Alex Halpin
Team Stats
NC
JMU
Goals
9
0
Shots
18
5
Shots on Goal
14
2
Saves
2
5
Corners
6
3
Offsides
0
0
Fouls
0
0
Scoring Plays

Erin Matson (12)
Assisted By: Marissa Creatore
29 top of the circle over to 1 - to bott
4:12

Abby Pitcairn (1)
Rebound off corner save
8:47

Marissa Creatore (7)
Assisted By: Yentl Leemans
21 out of the circle, 33 tips in right i
10:39

Catherine Hayden (9)
Action in front, into bottom R corner
17:40

Erin Matson (13)
dribbled in all alone into bottom R corn
26:00

Catherine Hayden (10)
corner -- passed around action in front
36:02

Erin Matson (14)
NC Erin Matson PENALTY STROKE GOAL, goal number 14 for season.
36:50

Catherine Hayden (11)
dribbled up L side and through goalies l
50:20

Erin Matson (15)
Assisted By: Bryn Boylan
all alone on the side
58:11
Game Leaders
Players
Players Mentioned
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