No. 1 UNC field hockey demolishes Ball State, 9-0, on Sunday afternoon

The No. 1 North Carolina field hockey team won its third game in five days — all in the newly-renamed Karen Shelton Stadium — with a 9-0 win over Ball State on Sunday afternoon.

What happened?

UNC (11-0, 4-0 ACC) scored three goals in the first eight minutes of the game and never looked back. Ball State (1-9, 1-1 MAC) had no answer defensively and registered only two shot attempts to North Carolina’s 29.

In the third minute, midfielder Eva van’t Hoog’s shot was deflected by the Cardinals’ goalkeeper. But midfielder Catherine Hayden would not let the Tar Heels be denied. Hayden regained possession and scored on a put-back goal.

Hayden’s goal was followed by two quick scores from forward Megan DuVernois and forward Erin Matson. DuVernois gained control of the ball at center field and drove it all the way down the right side. The 5-foot-4 junior was in a one-on-one matchup with the Ball State goalie in the sixth minute when she sent a shot that flew into the top left corner of the net.

Matson continued the hot start to her collegiate career when she scored the last of the opening trifecta of goals for UNC. In the eighth minute, the first-year found the back of the net for the 10th time this season to give the Tar Heels a 3-0 lead. After North Carolina made the score 5-0 with another goal from Hayden and one from forward Marissa Creatore, head coach Karen Shelton put her team on cruise control. Shelton cleared her bench just fifteen minutes into the game.

Later in the first half, two Tar Heels scored for the first time in their collegiate careers. Forward Riley Fulmer’s goal came on an assist from sophomore Courtnie Williamson in the 29th minute. In the closing minute of the half, midfielder Ali Rushton scored on a corner to give North Carolina a 7-score cushion heading into the locker room. In the first 10 minutes of the second half, UNC scored two more times before it reached Shelton’s limit.

“We didn’t want to get into double digits,” Shelton said after the game. “We talked about that. Once we got (to nine goals), we wanted to move the ball around. It’s not goodwill to slaughter a team.” 

North Carolina milked the next 25 minutes of the game and went on to win by its largest margin of victory this season.

Who stood out?

Hayden scored twice for the Tar Heels and increased her season goal total to nine. Fulmer scored her first collegiate goal just a day after getting playing time for the first time on Saturday against Syracuse. 

“(It’s) definitely a confidence booster,” Fulmer said. “It was exciting. Hopefully I can keep working towards another (goal).” 

The first-year Virginia Beach, Va. native led the team in shots with five and shots on goal with four.

When was it decided?

When UNC scored its third goal in the eighth minute, Ball State looked lifeless. The Cardinals couldn’t find an answer and surrendered six more goals after that in a game where the Tar Heels scored at will.

Why does it matter?

North Carolina shutout its opponent for the seventh time this season in 11 games. The Tar Heels have only given up four goals this year. With just six contests remaining in the regular season, UNC will hope to keep its momentum heading into the ACC Tournament in November.

When do they play next?

UNC will take on No. 21 Wake Forest at Karen Shelton Stadium in Chapel Hill next Saturday at 1 p.m.

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