Field hockey team still undefeated

North Carolina field hockey coach Karen Shelton welcomes adversity.

But up until this weekend, her undefeated No. 1 Tar Heels hadn’t had any.

“We went into the weekend wanting good battles,” Shelton said. “And we got good battles.”

After two unranked match-ups last weekend, UNC (4-0) faced off against two top-15 teams during Saturday and Sunday’s ACC-Big Ten Challenge in Iowa City.

Saturday’s game against No. 9 Michigan was a fairly safe 7-2 win, but it was a 3-1 win against No. 13 Iowa Sunday that had Shelton’s team facing the tough situations she covets.

UNC led the Hawkeyes 2-0 at halftime, but Iowa came out firing after the break, tripling the number of shots it took in the first 35 minutes and scoring a quick goal in the process.

“I like that we were under pressure, I like that it was a fight and that we had to keep composure and we had to make decisions under pressure,” she said. “Those things are good for a young team and a team that’s trying to grow and figure out its identity and mature as a new unit working together.”

While she was pleased that her team faced hardship early in the season, Shelton said the game shouldn’t have been close enough to necessitate a clutch performance under pressure.

The Tar Heels had 11 shots in the first half — all but one on goal — while only allowing Iowa to get off two, but only came away with two scores.

“From the level of domination we had in the first half, we would have been pleased with a three or a four goal lead,” Shelton said. “And instead, it was a two goal lead, which is always a dangerous score.”

Still, UNC came out of the break a little at ease, junior forward Loren Shealy said.

“I think we went into the second half a little lackadaisical almost,” she said. “And they brought full fire straight out of the locker room in the second half and that’s just something that we need to learn from and need to focus on more is bringing that intensity not just for the first 35 minutes but all 70.”

Shealy said that back-to-back match-ups against ranked opponents provided UNC with a great test of the Tar Heels’ fitness and mental fortitude.

“I think this weekend was a great test for us,” Shealy said. “It was really physical, very fast, very skilled. It was great to be put under some pressure and really play some teams that challenged us, both physically and tactically.”

And though Shelton had hoped for that pressure, Iowa’s goal fewer than six minutes into the second half was a wake-up call for a UNC team that was dangerously satisfied by an early two-goal lead.

“I think it’s a little bit of human nature to expect more of the same in the second half instead of actually earning it,” Shelton said.

Junior back Abby Frey said her team’s level of intensity won’t be a problem again.

“We were a little too relaxed starting the second half,” Frey said.

“We’re not ever going to be relaxed, no matter what kind of lead we have anymore.”

sports@dailytarheel.com