Tar Heels set to defend 2007 undefeated title

The 2007 North Carolina field hockey team took no prisoners en route to an undefeated national championship season.

And even after graduating more than half of its scoring, the 2008 squad is on pace to accomplish the same thing.

"This team right now, they're undefeated," coach Karen Shelton said Wednesday after UNC's second practice.

Although Shelton admitted earlier that replacing last year's seniors looked impossible, she said she now believes this year's squad will do just fine.

"I fully expect us to be competing for a national championship," she said. With just two seniors on this year's team, the team dynamic will make a sizable shift from last year, when seven graced the roster.

"It's definitely different because they were the ones that kept everyone on the right page," senior Britt van Beek said.

If UNC is to meet the high expectations, sophomore Katelyn Falgowski, last year's assist leader, will need to play an integral role. But the talented youngster affectionately known as "Falgo" has been conspicuously absent from practice.

She is in Beijing, along with five former Tar Heels. And Shelton couldn't be happier.

"Every time she plays internationally, she gets a little better," she said. "In terms of us not having her right now, somebody else is preparing and gaining experience. It's a win-win."

Two Tar Heels passed up opportunities to compete in Beijing. Junior forward Dani Forword and junior midfielder Illse Davids made South Africa's 22-player roster in 2007 but decided to return to school instead.

That doesn't stop Forword from rooting for her teammates abroad.

"Katelyn is our roommate. Like, how crazy is that?" Forword said. "She's going to be sitting here in like two weeks' time, and she's an Olympian."

Forword and junior goalkeeper Brianna O'Donnell are two of seven upperclassmen on this year's roster trying to fill in for last year's seniors.

"I think we're kind of like a young team graduating up into that role," O'Donnell said. "So everybody's kind of going through it together."

Shelton announced in July the addition of six first-years. All five of the U.S.-born rookies achieved All-State honors in 2007, and midfielder Kelsey Brinkman was a National Field Hockey Coaches Association High School All-American.

While the transition from high school to college can be tough enough, one of UNC's first-years will be dealing with a lot more. Forward Charlotte Verstraten hails from Berg En Dal, The Netherlands.

So what is the biggest adjustment for Verstraten?

"Condition," she said, winded, after practice. "They are running so much. I'm not used to it."

But the incoming class still has nearly two weeks to get into game shape before UNC opens its season against Michigan. UNC might play that game with an injured Meghan Dawson, suffering from a foot stress reaction.

"We'll have to determine whether that's going to be something that's going to hinder her all season long or whether it's something that can be manageable," Shelton said. With or without a healthy Dawson, when the season does start, the Tar Heels will be expecting impressive results.

"I think just, hold thumbs, it's going to be a surprise to everyone," Forword said, using the South African expression for crossing fingers. "I'm banking on good things."

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.