Tar Heel field hockey extends four-game shutout streak

With seven goals scored by seven different players, the North Carolina field hockey team used an impressive offensive performance to capture a 7-0 shutout victory against Radford on Sunday afternoon.

Junior Kelsey Kolojejchick opened the scoring for the Tar Heels less than three minutes after the opening whistle, notching her team-leading 12th goal of the season.

In the following 10 minutes, redshirt freshman Samantha Travers and junior Katie Plyler both scored to push the UNC lead to 3-0.

It was not until the second half that UNC scored again, when freshman Loren Shealy poked a rebound past the sprawling Radford goalie.

Junior Jaclyn Gaudioso Radvany, freshman Sophie Rudolph and sophomore Meghan Lyons also tallied goals in the second half to provide insurance for the Tar Heels, who had 18 shots on the afternoon compared to 4 for the Highlanders.

Sunday’s game marked the first of a seven-game stretch during which the Tar Heels will be without Katelyn Falgowski. The senior captain is training with the U.S. National Team as it prepares for the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Senior Elizabeth Stephens, who is taking over in Falgowski’s absence, said the team only plans to make minor changes while Falgowski is out.

“We are trying not to think about it too much,” she said. “We obviously are changing a couple of things around, but our structure is still the same. Our game plan is still the game.”

Coach Karen Shelton said that she views the absence of Falgowski as a chance for team development as a whole.

“It’s an opportunity for us to really grow as a team,” she said. “All we’re going to do is gain more experience (and) when we get Katelyn back, that is going to be like a huge bonus.”

UNC’s win against Radford capped off an impressive weekend for the Tar Heels, as they also edged Wake Forest on Friday.

After claiming a 2-1 overtime win against Wake Forest Sept. 18, the Tar Heels exerted their control against the Demon Deacons again Friday night, earning a 1-0 shutout victory.

The only goal of the night came early in the second half. On a well-executed penalty corner, Falgowski stopped the push out from Katie Ardrey, allowing Stephens to send a straight shot into the back of the net.

Stephens said the goal came at a critical time for UNC, which scored only once on 10 total shots.

“I knew right when we set up (that we had to convert),” she said. “(Falgowski) said to me, ‘This has to go in,’ and I was like, ‘Yes, this has to go in.’ I just knew that the placement of the ball would be really critical and when I saw it go in, it was a great feeling.”

Shelton said she was happy to come away with the shutout victory against the Demon Deacons but is still concerned for her team moving forward.

“It took a lot for our team to find a way to win on the road,” she said. “I’m worried about us playing a little bit better as a team.”

Despite her concerns, though, Shelton said she is eager to build off the weekend’s two shutout wins.

“I’m excited for this next month because I know we’re not playing great so we’re going to get better,” she said. “I think we’re determined. We want to work harder and we want to take a step this week in getting ready for Boston College.”

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