The Tar Heels handled their nerves well. With an unblemished record and bragging rights on the line, UNC defeated its perennial rival 3-1 on Friday afternoon. The Tar Heels then improved their record to 4-0 on Sunday with a victory over No. 18 Delaware (3-2, 0-0 CAA).
“We had solid victories in both games, but I’m particularly proud of Friday’s game,” coach Karen Shelton said. “I think it’s important to savor a game like that at the Division I level. I told the girls that it’s always a thrill, in any sport, to be a part of a game like that. And to come away with a victory is very, very satisfying.”
In the locker room before the game, the team’s captains stressed the importance of controlling anxiety and staying poised under pressure.
“UNC-Maryland is always a huge game, and everyone is super nervous before the game,” said senior forward Loren Shealy. “But that’s part of playing a sport. It’s OK to be nervous. In our pregame speech, we said the most important things to remember were to keep our heads on our shoulders, stay calm, try not to get flustered and stick to the gameplan.”
Though it wasn’t the usual battle for the top of the ACC standings — the Terrapins moved to the Big Ten this season — Friday’s game had all the markings of a typical Maryland-UNC clash. Intense. Physical. Fast-paced.
The Tar Heels’ composure and resilience were tested. A packed stadium made for a hostile environment. Extreme heat led to an agreement by both teams to take additional timeouts for rehydration. And Maryland’s talented attack placed consistent strain on the UNC defense.
Despite all of that, the UNC backfield remained level-headed. They communicated well on defensive assignments, kept the ball out of the shooting circle and limited the Terrapins to just one penalty corner.
On the offensive end, after Charlotte Craddock scored on a penalty corner for the 1-0 advantage, Shealy scored a spectacular goal off a rebound in the 51st minute to put UNC ahead 2-0. Sixteen minutes later, sophomore Julia Young scored her first career goal.
