Field Hockey Kicks Off 2025 With Shutout Win Over #7 Michigan

Friday, August 29

Iowa City, IA

1 PM ET

North Carolina

(2-0, 0-0)

Michigan

(0-2, 0-0)

North Carolina

Michigan

August 29, 2025 | Field Hockey

Box Score

By: William Soulé

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Captain Ryleigh Heck scored an early goal to set the tone and the rest was Heels as Carolina field hockey started its season with a decisive 3-0 victory over No. 7 Michigan on Friday afternoon.

The Tar Heels (1-0, 0-0 ACC) got goals from the veteran trio of Heck (9:37), Sanne Hak (32:40), and Kara Heck (41:54) to kick off 2025 with a win. The team was also rock solid defensively, picking up the shutout as transfer goalkeeper Katie Wimmer and true freshman Merritt Skubisz split time in front of net keeping the Wolverines at bay.

Carolina has opened its season against Michigan in 10 of the last 11 seasons and today improved their record in those contests to 8-3. Nine new Tar Heels made their debut in the victory, as the team looks to find new stars to replace the 13 letterwinners gone from last season's squad.

The scoring opened in the ninth minute when true freshman back Isabel Boere cut open the Michigan defense with an incisive pass that found its way to Ryleigh Heck's stick. The reigning ACC Offensive Player of the Year had no one between her and the goalkeeper and made easy work of the team's first goal of the season.

The Wolverines put pressure on at the end of the second quarter, earning four penalty corners in the final eight minutes. Wimmer and her back line were up to the test. The Columbia transfer and veteran back Grace Pottebaum kept Michigan out of the net and gave their team a half time lead.

The third frame would secure the game for the Tar Heels. UNC earned an early penalty stroke and turned to their go-to finisher from the spot in Hak, who snuck one past Michigan's Hala Silverstein in net to make it 2-0 Carolina.

Kara Heck followed that minutes later after Virginia transfer Dani Mendez found her in the circle off a penalty corner rebound and the elder Heck slotted home bottom left for her first goal in Carolina blue.

The Tar Heels will face the host team No. 15 Iowa on Sunday afternoon to wrap up the weekend. Game time is set for 2 p.m. ET with coverage coming on B1G+.