Field hockey faces toughest challenge yet

The No. 1 North Carolina field hockey team is the only team in the country that is still undefeated this season, and while the Tar Heels have faced many ranked opponents, none have posed the threat that Saturday’s opponent No. 3 Virginia does.

“At this point of the season we’ve played a lot of games and it’s a thrill to play against a really good team,” UNC coach Karen Shelton said.

The Cavaliers (11-1, 1-1 ACC) enter Saturday’s 1 p.m. game at Henry Stadium having lost just once — in overtime to then-No. 1 Maryland. They will be the highest ranked opponent the Tar Heels have faced this season.

The two ACC foes are very familiar, having played each other three times last season.

“It’s never an easy game,” Shelton said. “But it’s always a challenging game and an exciting game.”

The scores from last year certainly attest to that. UNC defeated UVa. 2-1 in overtime during the regular season, lost 1-0 in the ACC Tournament and then defeated the Cavaliers 3-2 in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.

Sophomore Kelsey Kolojejchick thinks the key to beating Virginia in the NCAA tournament last year was UNC concentrating on its own play.

“I think our focus is on how we’re going to play, how we’re going to outlet, how we’re going to score,” Kolojejchick said. “We have to focus on ourselves and build from there. We want to worry about them, but we want to make sure we don’t get off our game and play theirs.”

The main thing the Tar Heels have to worry about is Virginia’s speed.

“UVa.‘s got a lot of speed and they’re definitely one of the fastest teams,” UNC goalie Jackie Kintzer said. “We have a lot of speed so I think it’s definitely going to be a really high-paced game.”

The Cavaliers’ quick offense is led by junior Paige Selenski who has the fourth-most goals-per-game in the country.

Shelton believes the key to shutting down Selenski and the UVa. offense is maintaining possession.

“We have to keep the ball,” Shelton said. “If we’re giving them the ball and providing them a lot of possession, it’ll be a long day for us.”

UVa. also has a strong goalkeeper in Kim Kastuk. She plays an unusual style and stays standing on penalty corners. UNC is practicing for this and hopes to exploit the style.

“Just having someone send in hard balls and having deflectors on the far post each time,” Kolojejchick said. “That’s going to be the best way instead of hitting it right at her because she’s a very good goalkeeper.”

Although UVa. is the biggest threat yet to the Tar Heels’ perfect record, Shelton is looking forward to a tough game.

“I would expect it to be very close and intense, and we look forward to that,” Shelton said. “It’s that time of the year, and it’s what we practice for — to play the big games.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.