Field Hockey Advances To ACC Title Game With Win Over Duke

Thursday, November 6

Louisville, Ky.

11 AM

North Carolina

(17-1)

Duke

(12-6)

Duke

North Carolina

November 6, 2025 | Field Hockey

Box Score

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Senior Dani Mendez scored two goals to lead the North Carolina field hockey team in a 5-2 victory over rival Duke in the semifinals of the 2025 ACC Championship on Thursday afternoon in Trager Stadium.

With the victory, the top-seeded Tar Heels (18-1) will aim to earn their ninth consecutive ACC tournament title when they take on second-seeded Virginia at 3 p.m. on Friday. Coverage will be available on ACC Network.

Mendez got the scoring started early, finishing off an assist from freshman Isabel Boere just two minutes and 49 seconds into the game. That first lead was short-lived, as the Blue Devils evened the match less than two minutes later.

Senior Ryleigh Heck put Carolina in front once again, an advantage it would not relinquish, later in the first quarter by scoring her 17th goal of the season off an assist from redshirt freshman Coco Courtright.

The Tar Heels took a commanding lead in the third quarter, scoring on a pair of unassisted goals by Mendez and junior Charly Bruder to make it 4-1 in favor of Carolina.

UNC's fearsome trio of Heck, Mendez and Bruder continue to produce in the biggest moments for this team. All three are now over 35 points scored on the year on 13+ goals.

Today the biggest goals came from Mendez, who scored the game winner against Duke last week before adding her third multi-goal game of the season in this one. Her 13 goals and 13 assists far surpass any of her previous seasons when she was at Virginia.

A second goal of the day for the Blue Devils made it 4-2 late in the third, but the Heels were unbothered and cruised to the semifinal victory. Sanne Hak put the finishing touches on this one, scoring with less than two minutes to play to make it a 5-2 final.

Following the 100th meeting between Carolina and Duke in field hockey, The Heels now hold an 88-12 advantage overall with a 14 game winning streak in their pocket. Not coincidentally, the streak coincides with head coach Erin Matson's personal 14-0 record against the Blue Devils as both a player and a coach.