Field hockey team splits weekend games

The North Carolina field hockey players didn’t have much time to think about it.

But there really wasn’t much to think about, sophomore Nina Notman said. It was all instinct.

No. 3 UNC (9-2; 1-2 ACC) had just lost 2-1 to No. 1 Maryland in overtime, and the team was set to play California in less than 24 hours.

It was the team’s second overtime loss in a row, and the first time the Tar Heels had held a two-game losing streak since 2008.

But UNC was determined to nip that streak in the bud against California.

“We were tired of losing,” Notman said.

So when her team stepped back onto the field at 1 p.m. Sunday, it came out with a fire and intensity that she said was pure instinct.

“I think it’s a natural outcome of two losses,” Notman said. “I mean, we spoke about it, of course we did, but no one questioned it at all. It was just there.

“We’re athletes, we don’t want to lose.”

On the field, the Tar Heels did everything in their power to make sure they didn’t.

Notman backed up her big talk, putting her team on the board less than four minutes into the game.

While UNC had only managed nine shots in its loss to Maryland, the team unleashed 15 just 20 minutes into the game and finished with an even 40.

“I worried about a little bit of a hangover playing the No. 1 team in the country and how we might respond against a very strong Cal. team,” coach Karen Shelton said. “I do think we rattled Cal. early.”

UNC shut the door on California early in the game as well, leading 2-0 at halftime. The Tar Heels only allowed the Golden Bears to get two shots off all game, and were able to cruise to a 4-0 victory.

The game was a welcome change of pace from Saturday’s showdown against Maryland.

North Carolina quieted the Terrapins’ prolific offense early — Maryland went without a shot through the first 20 minutes of play — but the Tar Heels struggled to find their own offensive rhythm as well.

The score was tied 0-0, and the two teams had fired a combined four shots at halftime.

But 12 minutes into the second half, UNC was threatening.

Maryland’s goalie made a save on a bouncing shot, but in the crowded circle the ball was deflected straight to senior midfielder Marta Malmberg, who buried it into the goal for her third goal of the season.

“Sometimes you’re in the right place at the right time and you can just hit it in,” Malmberg said.

The Tar Heels were in control of the game’s pace for the majority of the half, but with 9 minutes 22 seconds remaining, the Terrapins called the first timeout of the game.

Two minutes later, Maryland’s Jill Witmer poked the ball past junior goalie Sassi Ammer off of a hard centering feed for the tying score..

“She’s a big time player and she made a big time play,” Shelton said.

The momentum quickly shifted, but regulation expired without any further excitement.

Less than four minutes into the first overtime period, UNC freshman Kristy Bernatchez received a yellow card — the Tar Heels’ fourth card of the game — and UNC was man-down for five minutes.

But it took less than that for Witmer to strike again.

The junior received the ball in UNC’s attacking third and quickly made her way upfield. After shaking one defender, Witmer and a teammate had a two-on-one advantage.

Ammer was forced to step out of the goal, but Witmer swiftly sent the ball into the net — ending the game.

Even though her team split games this weekend, Shelton valued it as preparation for the late-tournament runs she hopes her team will be making.

“I like these back-to-back games,” she said. “I like to put our team under that kind of pressure in the regular season.”

“All we can do is learn.”

sports@dailytarheel.com