The No. 3 North Carolina field hockey team won its sixth straight game on Friday night at Henry Stadium, scoring a golden goal in overtime to defeat the No. 10 Virginia Cavaliers, 3-2.
What happened?
Virginia struck first nearly 14 minutes into the game. Senior Lucy Hyams took a pass on the right side of the goal and struck a powerful shot toward UNC keeper Alex Halpin, with the ball bouncing between Halpin's legs en route to hitting the cage.
UNC was able to tie the game just before the half, when fifth-year senior Emma Bozek drew a penalty corner with no time left on the clock at the end of the first half. Senior Lauren Moyer got the ball off the insert with a pass to the top left of the circle, where she took her shot cross-goal into the bottom right corner to make the score 1-1.
With less than 10 minutes to play, UNC took the lead off open play. First-year Megan DuVernois took the cross and passed it to Moyer in front of the goal. Moyer’s first shot was denied by a UVa. defender, but she put in the rebound to make it 2-1.
Virginia fired right back though, scoring off a penalty corner. Junior Tara Vittese scored off a shot from the middle of the circle off a pass from first-year Anzell Viljoen to tie the game.
UNC had three straight penalty corners at the end of regulation to go for the game-winning goal, but the Tar Heels were denied twice by UVa. saves and their third attempt went wide.
The lack of luck on the penalty corners did not come back to bite UNC, however, as the Tar Heels were able to get the golden goal off the stick of Bozek.
