Field Hockey Prepped For Final Leg Of Road Trip

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Carolina field hockey readies for the final leg of their three week road trip with games against Saint Joseph's and No. 17 Liberty. It will be the final time the team leaves the state of North Carolina until after the 2026 ACC Tournament which will be hosted in Chapel Hill at Karen Shelton Stadium for the first time since 2020.

It will be ninth time facing the Hawks since the two programs first faced in 2017 with UNC holding a 6-2 all-time record. The games in Philadelphia have been split 1-1. Sunday sees the Heels head to Lynchburg to face the Flames. The last four games between the two have flip flopped with a 2-2 split.

SCHEDULE
Game 1: at Saint Joseph's - Friday, October 9 – 3 PM ET – ESPN+– Live Stats
Game 2: at #17 Liberty - Sunday, October 11 – 1 PM ET – ESPN+ – Live Stats

#9 North Carolina Tar Heels (6-4)(3-1 ACC)
Head Coach: Erin Matson
Record at UNC: 65-10
Record vs. St. Joe's: 2-1
Record vs. Liberty: 2-1

Saint Joseph's Hawks (5-6)(3-0 A10)
Head Coach: Sam Brown
Record at St. Joe's: 5-6
Record vs. UNC:0-0

#17 Liberty Flames (7-4)(1-1 BIG EAST)
Head Coach: Nikki Parsley-Blocker
Record at Liberty: 127-57
Record vs. UNC: 2-6

NUMBERS TO KNOW
68 - Charly Bruder now has 68 goals in her career, tied for the 6th most in program history.
55 - Since 2015, 55% of Carolina's goals have been scored by players from Pennsylvania. Up to 61% since Erin Matson arrived on campus.
26 - UNC is 26-2 (.929) in true road games in Matson's tenure.
3 - Carolina has only allowed three shots on goal in their last three games. Resulting in one goal.

RAN WILD IN DERBY CITY
➤ The Heels played one game last weekend, taking a dominant 3-0 shutout win over No. 16 Louisville in Trager Stadium on Friday afternoon.
➤ It was another dominant defensive performance as Carolina out shot the Cardinals 20-to-3 and allowed just one of those shots on cage. It was the Heels' fourth shutout of the year.
➤ The entire starting front line found the back of the net for UNC as Ryleigh Heck, Reese Anetsberger and Charly Bruder all scored in the contest.
➤ Bruder's performance especially stood out. It was her shot that rebounded into Anetsberger's path for a rebound goal before she was rewarded for diligent pressing with a steal deep in the Louisville circle that led to her score.

FHockey Heels vs. the Hawks
➤ Friday's game will be the 9th all-time meeting between the two programs. The last two have both come in the NCAA Tournament.
➤ When last they met: In the 2025 tourney, St. Joe's was sent to the Chapel Hill Regional and faced Carolina in the first round. The result was a 2-1 win for UNC who got goals from Ryleigh Heck and Charly Bruder on either side of half time to take it.
➤ The Hawks got the better of the Heels in the 2024 Final Four, advancing to the national championship game with a 2-1 win in Ann Arbor, Mich.

vs. the Flames
➤ Sunday's game will be the 13th all-time meeting between the two programs.
➤ When last they met: Reese Anetsberger set the tone early with a goal inside the first minute to help the Heels run away with a 3-1 win over the ninth-ranked Flames. Heck and Bruder found their way onto the scoresheet in this one as well.
➤ In 2024, Carolina won the annual contest 7-0 thanks to eight points (three goals and two assists) from Heck. It's the most points scored in a game from open play by a Heel since at least 2015.

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Players Mentioned

Reese Anetsberger

Charly Bruder

Ryleigh Heck

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University of North Carolina Athletics