UNC field hockey dominates Radford

The No. 2 North Carolina field hockey team hardly gave Radford room to breathe, let alone take two shots.

In an 8-0 win against the Highlanders, UNC took 31 shots and controlled the ball with a relentless attack — only allowing Radford two attempts on goal.

“Attack. Attack. That’s our mentality when we are on the field,” senior midfielder Illse Davids said. “When we start a game, in the first five minutes we want to get a goal.”

The Tar Heels did just that, scoring early and often with their first goal coming less than three minutes into the game.

The scoring and offense never let up. When the ball was on North Carolina’s side of the field, UNC was setting up goals. And when the Tar Heels were on defense, it only lasted for a few moments.

“We are having a heavy emphasis on playing strong defense,” coach Karen Shelton said. “I think we gave up a little too much in the second half, but I am pleased with our overall development.”

Radford had difficulty finding any offense throughout the game due to the combination of North Carolina’s stifling defense and tenacious attack.

“With these type of games, we want to practice to get better, and so when we play the stronger teams, we are all ready to go,” freshman Kelsey Kolojejchick said.

Shelton stressed the importance her team places on forming good habits in practice in order to prevent the team from letting up at any point during the game.

Radford was another game in a series of recent blowout wins for the Tar Heels.

After winning their initial game of the season 2-1 against Michigan, UNC has yet to score less than four goals in a game or win by less than three.

“It has been good buildup, and I hope that we are going to respond when we hit the tougher part of our schedule,” Shelton said.

Since the Wake Forest game, the Tar Heels have outscored their opponents 30-0 in four games.

After so many blowouts, the Tar Heels focus on improving each game in preparation for their toughest opponents.

“We have such a talented team that if we come off the field without winning, we’re disappointed because we know we underperformed,” senior Dani Forword said.


Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.