Two days after toppling No. 7 Louisville in its ACC opener, the No. 1 North Carolina field hockey team moved to 7-0 (1-0 ACC) with a 4-1 win over Appalachian State in Boone on Sunday.
The reigning national champions got two goals from standout sophomore forward Erin Matson and one each from senior Megan DuVernois and sophomore Riley Fulmer. Head coach Karen Shelton’s team also set a new program record with 30 consecutive victories.
What happened?
Matson scored UNC’s first goal just over two minutes into the game on a solo run down the left side of the field. But the Mountaineers, who entered Sunday 6-1, weren’t rattled and promptly drew consecutive penalty corners.
Although the first was fruitless, junior Veerle Van Heertum equalized the game on the second. The goal, assisted by Chloe Bell, tied UNC and App State at 1-1 with 10:48 left in the first period.
The defenses took over from there. Both teams had multiple shots and corners, but neither scored until midway through the next period. That’s when Matson netted her second goal of the game, and 10th this season, off a penalty corner played in by sophomore Abby Pitcairn.
With that one-goal cushion, the Tar Heels’ offense ramped up. They were outshooting the Mountaineers 13-2 at halftime, and DuVernois made it 3-1 early in the third period. After App State saved a shot from Yentl Leemans, DuVernois, a senior, scored off the rebound for her third of the season.
If that wasn’t the dagger, UNC’s next goal was. About five minutes after DuVernois’ shot, Matson sent the ball on a cross and found Fulmer for a tap-in goal — the sophomore’s fourth this season.