Field hockey to rematch Terps in title game

The North Carolina field hockey team played Maryland once before, and like every other team that has played the Terps this year, they lost.

In that 4-1 game, North Carolina was unable to score when they needed it most. Maryland on the other hand found scoring on UNC, something no team had done well, very easy.

Prior to Maryland UNC had given up four goals, they same number of goals they allowed in that one game.

UNC knows very well the strength of Maryland’s offensive attack.

“They’re awfully tough to stop,” UNC coach, Karen Shelton said. “Any team that can score seven goals in a national semi-final, that speaks for some offensive firepower.”

The Tar Heels have been a strong offensive team as well this season and have been led in this postseason by senior forward Danielle Forword. Forword has scored at least one goal in each game during the NCAA tournament.

But, the Tar Heels have relied on their defense especially in the past two games holding off Wake Forest and Virginia long enough to preserve those wins.

 “I’d like to think that our defense is one of the best in the country, and I certainly think that we have one of the top goalies in the country,” Shelton said. “They say defense wins championships, hopefully that’s going to hold true for us.”

UNC will have 70 minutes, just like Maryland, to state its case to be a national champion, and at this point the game could go either way.

“The whistle is going to blow and two teams are going to go at it,” Shelton said. “Underdogs have won in the past.”