When Elizabeth Stephens scored her second goal of the game in the 63rd minute of the NCAA championship game, the Tar Heels needed to defend strongly for just eight more minutes to protect their two-goal lead and claim the national title.
For the third consecutive season, the North Carolina field hockey team will face Maryland in the NCAA title game. But unlike the past two championship meetings, the Tar Heels are the favorite this time — not the underdog.
It required the biggest comeback in NCAA tournament history and a serious attitude check defensively at halftime, but the top-seed North Carolina field hockey team eventually defeated fourth-seeded Connecticut 4-3 in a double overtime thriller Friday in the NCAA semifinals at Trager Stadium in Louisville, Ky.
Coming into the first two games of the NCAA tournament, North Carolina field hockey coach Karen Shelton was concerned about her team’s ability to convert its dominant ball possession into goals. But with 4-0 and 5-1 wins against Ohio and Michigan, respectively, the No. 1-seeded Tar Heels advanced to their third straight Final Four appearance and proved to their coach there was nothing to worry about.
The North Carolina field hockey team wasn’t going to let the ACC Championship elude them again.
Duke enters this season ranked No.6 even after losing more than half of last year’s offensive production. In order to maintain that top 10 ranking, the Blue Devils will have to integrate some players into new roles.
After forcing overtime, UNC made quick work of the Monarchs in the extra period, as Caitlin Van Sickle scored the game winner for the Tar Heels less than two minutes into overtime.
In the short history of the Carrboro High School field hockey program, the Jaguars had never beaten nearby rivals East Chapel Hill or Chapel Hill High School.
With a 2-0 win against No. 9 Boston College on Saturday and a 12-0 rout of Appalachian State on Saturday, the North Carolina field hockey team earned its sixth straight shutout of the season.
The North Carolina soccer team continues to score goals each game, but it’s the defenders that have been carrying the Tar Heels to victory lately.
