Saint Joseph's Trips Field Hockey, 2-1, In NCAA Semifinal

Friday, November 22

Ann Arbor, Mich.

12 PM

North Carolina

(20-1)

Saint Joseph's (NCAA Semifinals)

(20-3)

Saint Joseph's

North Carolina

Charly Bruder scored Carolina's goal on Friday afternoon.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

November 22, 2024 | Field Hockey

Box Score

By: Matt Bowers

ANN ARBOR, MICH.—Saint Joseph's got two goals from Manu Ghigliotti and defeated two-time defending NCAA champion North Carolina, 2-1, on Friday afternoon in an NCAA Field Hockey Tournament semifinal at Ocker Field on the campus of the University of Michigan.

The season ends for the Tar Heels (20-1), as they lose their first game since Oct. 20, 2023 at Virginia. SJU snapped Carolina's 27-game winning streak and 10-game streak in NCAA tournament games, tied for the fourth longest such run of all-time. The Hawks improved to 20-3 this season and booked their spot in the final on Sunday.

"This one hurts because of how hard this team worked, how elite this team has played this year and how much this team loves each other," Carolina head coach Erin Matson said after the game. "At this point in the season you need to show up, and Saint Joe's did. They gave it a great game. We wish them the best of luck moving forward, but I'm proud of our girls for not just how they performed all season long but because of who they are as people and the way they represent our university so well."

Making their first NCAA final four appearance, the Hawks led 2-0 in the closing seconds of the third period and held UNC scoreless for nearly 45 minutes until Charly Bruder scored with two seconds left to make it 2-1 SJU entering the fourth quarter. The score ensured Bruder finished the year in a tie for the fourth most goals in a single season in program history with 27, equal with the likes of Matson (2021 & 2022), Bashi Buba (1978), and Kristen McCann (2000).

The Hawk defense stiffened again in the final period and preserved the win despite Carolina pulling goalie Abigail Taylor for the final 7:50 of the game to increase offensive pressure.

Saint Joseph's advances to Sunday's 1:30 p.m. NCAA final in Ann Arbor, where it will face the winner of Friday's semifinal between No. 2 seed Northwestern and Massachusetts.

How it Happened
First Period
• Neither team scored in the opening quarter. Carolina outshot the Hawks, 6-0, with three shots on goal.

Second Period
• Just under eight minutes into the second quarter, Ghigliotti gathered a loose ball in front of the Tar Heel net and scored from close range for a 1-0 Hawk lead. It was the first goal allowed by UNC in three NCAA Tournament games.
• Shortly thereafter the Tar Heels had back-to-back penalty corner opportunities that failed to connect.
• The Hawks led, 1-0, at halftime, marking the first halftime deficit of the season for UNC.

Third Period
• Less than six minutes into the second half, SJU took a 2-0 lead with a shorthanded goal. Ghigliotti scored her second tally of the day after recovering a rebound off a Hawk shot on a penalty corner attempt.
• The last time Carolina had trailed by two goals was in the 2021 NCAA final against Northwestern.
• Bruder cut the Hawk lead to 2-1 with two seconds remaining in the quarter, connecting with a rocket of a goal off a penalty corner after assists by Sanne Hak and Ciana Riccardo. It was Bruder's 27th goal of the year.

Fourth Period
• After the Tar Heels seized the momentum at the close the third period, the Hawk defense held off Carolina the rest of the way.