Field Hockey Hosts Conference Crossover For Home Opening Weekend

Friday, September 4

Chapel Hill

6 PM

North Carolina

Penn

September 4, 2026 | Field Hockey

Game Notes

By: William Soulé

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Carolina field hockey will make its season debut at Karen Shelton Stadium this weekend in the annual Conference Crossover with games against Penn and No. 2 Princeton on the schedule.

The Heels will look to rebound from their opening weekend that saw them go 0-2 to start a campaign for the first time since 2021. One-score losses against quality opponents in No. 14 Michigan and No. 11 Iowa are understandable for a Carolina team replacing 67% of its goal production from a year ago.

CONFERENCE CROSSOVER SCHEDULE
Friday, September 4
Game 1: #2 Princeton vs. #18 Old Dominion – 3:00 PM ET – Youtube – Live Stats
Game 2: Penn at #10 Carolina - 6 PM ET – ACCNX – Live Stats

Sunday, September 6
Game 3: Penn vs. #18 Old Dominion - 10 AM ET - Youtube - Live Stats
Game 4: #2 Princeton at #10 Carolina - 12:30 PM ET - ACC Network - Live Stats

#10 North Carolina Tar Heels (0-2) (0-0 ACC)
Head Coach: Erin Matson
Record at UNC: 59-8
Record vs. Penn: 3-0
Record vs. Princeton: 3-0

Penn Quakers (0-0) (0-0 IVY)
Head Coach: Scott Tupper
Record at Penn: 9-7
Record vs. UNC: 0-1

#2 Princeton (0-0) (0-0 IVY)
Head Coach: Carla Tagliente
Record at Princeton: 118-56
Record vs. UNC: 0-10

THE FORTRESS SHELTON
➤ Karen Shelton Stadium officially opened August 25, 2018 and has been host to countless Carolina Field Hockey core memories since then.
➤ Named after the Heels' hall of fame coach of 42 seasons, it is the only UNC athletic playing facility named in honor of a woman and was just the second time in school history that an individual coached in a facility named for themselves.
➤ KSS has played host to numerous postseason contests, including the 2018 ACC Championship as well as the 2020 & 2023 NCAA Championships (the Tar Heels won all three tournaments).
➤ It took more than three years and 42 total games before UNC took its first loss in KSS, at the hands of Liberty on Oct. 10, 2021.

NUMBERS TO KNOW
74 - UNC has won 74 games in their provincial palace Karen Shelton Stadium, holding a .949 winning percentage in 78 games.
18 - Star forward Charly Bruder returns to lead the UNC offense after scoring 18 goals last season, second most of all returners in the ACC.
7 - Seven different Heels either made their first start or first appearance in Carolina Blue last weekend.
2- UNC freshman Sofia Ferri scored in just her second career game, the fastest to do so for the Heels since Ryleigh Heck & Ashley Sessa both scored opening day of 2022.

FHOCKEY HEELS VS. THE QUAKERS
➤ Friday's game will be the 10th all-time meeting between UNC and Penn. Carolina has won all nine of the previous meetings and holds a 51-6 overall scoring margin. The Heels have never trailed in any of the nine contests.
➤ When last they met: The Heels put six past the Quakers in Princeton last season, coming from five different goal scorers including Reese Anetsberger and two from Charly Bruder.
➤ It was Anetsberger's first career goal. Bruder was making her season debut after missing the opening weekend due to injury.
➤ Matson and four of her players come from the Keystone State.

FHOCKEY HEELS VS. THE TIGERS
➤ Sunday's game will be the 21st showdown between these two programs. UNC leads the series 17-3 and has won 12 in a row, last losing to the Tigers Nov. 18, 2012 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
➤ When last they met: Carolina traveled up to central New Jersey, a hot-bed of their recruiting pipeline, and came home with a hard-fought 3-2 victory thanks to a first career goal for Eliza Perrin and a pair from Isabel Boere. Princeton's Beth Yeager scored the first and assisted late, but the Tigers could not come up with an equalizer.
➤ Three current Tar Heels hail from the Garden State. Sophomore Jenna Narleski's hometown of Basking Ridge is about an hour's drive away from campus.