Coming off of Friday’s strong home win, the No. 3 North Carolina field hockey team took on Miami (Ohio) in its second home game of the season, looking for a similar outcome.
With a final score of 3-0, the Tar Heels did just that — recording their second straight shutout to complete what Coach Karen Shelton saw as the team’s best weekend of the season so far.
With a strong offensive push at the beginning of the game, it was just a matter of time before UNC broke through the RedHawks’ defense.
The Tar Heels couldn’t finish on a couple of promising opportunities in the first half, including a diving attempt by freshman Austyn Cuneo, who has yet to score her first goal for UNC.
Standout senior Emily Wold received the ball just inside the penalty circle in the 24th minute and crushed her eighth goal of the season into the upper corner over the head of the RedHawks’ goalkeeper.
Minutes later, Wold got the ball in the same vicinity. But this time the senior passed it to freshman Malin Evert, who knocked it into the back of the net, giving North Carolina a 2-0 lead going into halftime.
Miami came out strong in the second half with a couple of offensive attacks, but it couldn’t contend with UNC’s power and speed.
In the 45th minute, freshman Ashley Hoffman notched the first goal of her collegiate career and the Tar Heels’ third of the game.
UNC used its lead as an opportunity to give the second string playing time. The substitutes maintained the level of play and kept the RedHawks in their own half.
