UNC looks to rebound from loss to Maryland

T-CUP.

It stands for “Thinking Clearly Under Pressure,” and it’s something North Carolina field hockey coach Karen Shelton has stressed all year.

But in last weekend’s 3-2 loss to then-No. 2 Maryland, UNC crumbled under the Terrapins’ suffocating defense, losing its No. 1 ranking and undefeated record as a result. The Tar Heels look to correct their missteps from last week in their next game against Old Dominion on Saturday.

The Tar Heel defense allowed a season-high three goals, and the offense sputtered in front of a raucous Maryland crowd of more than 1,600.

“It was the first time we’d played in a hostile environment, and we came out a little nervous,” senior goalkeeper Jackie Kintzer said.

Maryland senior forward Katie O’Donnell, the reigning national player of the year, scored twice in the game’s first 13 minutes and assisted the game-winning goal with less than three minutes to play.

“She’s obviously an amazing player, and we just didn’t mark her as tightly as we needed to,” Kintzer said. “She was able to do what she wanted and manipulate us.”

The Tar Heels also had trouble with the high-pressure defense Maryland threw at them. During the first half in particular, they struggled to keep possession on offense.

“We started flat and slow, and allowed Maryland to dominate us,” Shelton said.

Although the Tar Heels played better in the second half, it was too little, too late.

“We were 35 minutes behind,” sophomore Kelsey Kolojejchick said. “I think we just got away from our game a little.”

UNC has won by playing strong defense and racking up corners this season ­— something it was unable to do against Maryland, who tallied almost four-times as many corners as the Tar Heels.

Despite the loss and its fall from the top of the rankings, the team is sure that it can use the game as a learning experience.

“I think we needed a loss,” Kintzer said. “It made us realize we’re not as good as we thought we were. It would’ve been nice to be undefeated, but now a lot of the pressure’s off.”

Shelton has preached how insignificant finishing the year undefeated was, telling her team to take the season one game at a time. Though UNC now has a blemish on its record, Shelton is taking the same approach.

“Nobody’s going to remember what happened on Oct. 23, they’re going to remember what happened at the end of the season,” she said. “It’s about the next game, but it’s also about preparing for the postseason.”

Shelton’s Tar Heels have just two games left in the regular season, the first of which is against Old Dominion on Saturday.

Although UNC beat the Lady Monarchs convincingly a month ago, it will play this one on the road, and ODU will be playing for an NCAA Tournament bid.

“They will play a very intense game,” Shelton said. “We never underestimate Old Dominion. It’s an important game for them and it’s an important game for us.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.