Field Hockey Puts Seven Past Penn To Win Home Opener

Friday, September 4

Chapel Hill

6 PM

North Carolina

(1-2)

Penn

(0-1)

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Penn	0	0	0	0	0
North Carolina	2	2	2	1	7

Grace Pottebaum, celebration
University of North Carolina Field Hockey v Penn
Karen Shelton Stadium
Chapel Hill, NC
Friday, September 4, 2026

Photo by: LAUREN T. RAY

September 4, 2026 | Field Hockey

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: William Soulé

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Five different players scored in No. 10 Carolina field hockey's dominant 7-0 win in their home opener against Penn on Friday night in Karen Shelton Stadium.

The Tar Heels (1-2) got the in the win column in game one of the annual Conference Crossover thanks to a steady drumbeat of offensive pressure that produced 18 shots (14 on goal) and eight corners against the Quakers. It is the fourth time under head coach Erin Matson Carolina has scored seven or more. It's the team's highest scoring shutout since 2024.

"I feel like every performance so far our Heels have improved game by game and that's what we're staying focused on," said Matson. "I'm proud with the score of course, we're proud with the win, and we're proud of the amount of people we had make an impact today."

The scoring started early with a meaningful one as graduate senior captain Grace Pottebaum picked up a penalty corner rebound and swung one into the back of the net. It was the first career goal for the veteran defender in her 67th collegiate game.

It was an effective day of attacking penalty corners for Carolina, who scored five of their seven from set pieces. Two goals a piece from Charly Bruder and Sofia Ferri added to Pottebaum's strike from that area.

Both Bruder and Ferri are now up to three goals on the year through three games. Bruder has racked up 63 in her career, now just one shy of tying her former teammate Ryliegh Heck for the seventh most in program history.

Midfielder Coco Courtright has demonstrated an improved offensive threat in the early days of this season, and she continued on that path in this game. The junior added the second goal of her career in the second quarter with an incisive run through the top of the circle before ripping a shot past Penn's keeper who could barely react.

The memorable moments continued into the second half as the Chapel Hill local Molly Nussbaumer scored her first goal. The highly touted, homegrown product received a cross from Hope Haynes off the right wing and did well from a tough angle to find the back of the net.

The Heels will hope the offensive momentum will carry into their second game of the weekend when they face No. 2 Princeton on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET on ACC Network.