DURHAM — It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t high scoring, but at the end of the day, the North Carolina field hockey team got the job done.
In a return to its former home away from home at Williams Field at Jack Katz Stadium on Duke's campus, No. 1 UNC (8-0, 2-0 ACC) took down the No. 4 Blue Devils (6-3, 1-1 ACC) in a 2-0 shutout. It was the third straight game in which the Tar Heels did not allow a goal and their fifth clean sheet of the season in just eight games, something they had not done since 2010.
Defense has become North Carolina's calling card, only having allowed three goals the entire season so far on its way to an undefeated record. The Duke game, however, provided a challenge, as the rivalry match always does.
“We don’t take this rivalry lightly,” midfielder Catherine Hayden said. “Whether its an on-season or off-season for Duke, we always know this is going to be a great matchup.”
The game got off to a slow start, with neither team managing to register a shot attempt within the first 15 minutes of play.
“I think it took us a little longer to get into the rhythm of the game and the flow than I would have liked,” head coach Karen Shelton said.
The first goal of the game came after Hayden smacked the ball out of the air with her stick and into the back of the Duke net off an attack from midfielder Eva Smolenaars. Smolenaars earned an assist on the play.
“I find myself to be a player who likes to stay in front of the goalie,” Hayden said. “I’m good with my stick and redirection. So Smallie (Eva Smolenaars), I saw her coming in on her reverse. I know she always gets that shot off, so I just tried to get a step on my defender, and get my stick in the path, and it ended up working out.”
Although that was the sole goal of the first half, the Blue Devils tested goalkeeper Amanda Hendry, forcing her to make four saves, all within two minutes of each other. The onslaught came as the Blue Devils attempted to rally their offense to end the first half, but came up empty on each possession.
