The No. 1 UNC field hockey team passed a stiff test Wednesday afternoon in Durham, edging No. 5 seed Syracuse 2-1 in the ACC Tournament semifinals. The Tar Heels will now play for their sixth straight conference tournament title on Friday afternoon.
Carolina outshot the Orange 13-6 and never trailed in the game, though both teams went into halftime locked in a scoreless draw. It was the first time since September that the Tar Heels had been held goal-less in the first half. A pair of clutch saves on a Syracuse penalty corner kept the Orange from taking an early lead in the first quarter. Goalie Kylie Walbert and back Sietske Brüning, who was named second team All-ACC, each made a save in the sequence.
Erin Matson, playing in her final ACC Tournament, got Carolina on the board less than four minutes into the second half, converting her fifth penalty stroke of the season. Matson is 5-5 on penalty strokes in 2022, and the Tar Heels as a team are 6-6. Against the Orange on Wednesday, Matson accounted for six of the team’s 13 shots.
ACC Freshman of the Year Ryleigh Heck doubled the lead 54 seconds into the fourth quarter, scoring her 14th goal of the season on a penalty corner. Brüning picked up an assist on the play.
The Orange pulled to within 2-1 with 8:23 remaining and pulled their goalie in the final minutes, but attempted only one more shot after that. The Tar Heels were able to run out the clock and clinch their 16th consecutive win.
Carolina will now await the winner of No. 2 seed Wake Forest and No. 3 seed Virginia in the ACC Championship. The game will be played on the campus of Duke University in Durham and is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. The game will also be broadcast on ACC Network.
Featured image via ACC Field Hockey on Twitter
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.
Related Stories
‹
Are They Eligible? Keeping Up with UNC's Rece Verhoff, Cameron Fens and OthersStudent-athletes across the country are currently embroiled in an eligibility fight against the NCAA. The athletes, who graduated high school in 2022, are seeking a fifth year of eligibility under the NCAA’s new rules. However, the NCAA is countering that the rule only applies to students currently in college from the 2026-27 academic year forward. […]
This Week in UNC Sports: September 21-27, 2026This series of posts will be made weekly on Chapelboro with a full schedule of UNC sports contests, both in Chapel Hill and elsewhere. Note that game times and broadcast information are subject to change due to inclement weather or other factors. It’s a lighter week for UNC sports as we approach the end of […]
UNC's Ryleigh Heck, Rece Verhoff Among Those Joining Indiana NCAA LawsuitUNC kicker Rece Verhoff and three former members of the field hockey team – including former All-American Ryleigh Heck – are joining a lawsuit against the NCAA out of the state of Indiana. The four players, as well as dozens of others from multiple sports who graduated high school in 2022, are seeking a fifth […]
This Week in UNC Sports: September 14-20, 2026The upcoming week offers several high-caliber matchups for multiple UNC teams both at home and on the road.
UNC Sports: Field Hockey, Women's Soccer Win; Volleyball Loses in New YorkSeveral UNC women’s sports teams were in action up and down the east coast Sunday. In Virginia, the field hockey team earned a 2-1 win at Richmond, while down in Chapel Hill the women’s soccer team cruised to a 5-0 win at Dorrance Field against NJIT. Meanwhile, up in New York City, the volleyball team […]
UNC Field Hockey Loses Late Lead, Falls to No. 20 Old Dominion at HomeDespite leading 4-1 in the third quarter and carrying a 4-2 lead into the final 15 minutes, UNC fell to No. 20 Old Dominion 5-4 in overtime at Karen Shelton Stadium Friday. The Tar Heels had race out to a 2-0 lead in a dominant first quarter, one which saw UNC hold the Monarchs without […]
UNC Field Hockey Beats No. 2 Princeton After Penalty ShootoutFreshman Sofia Ferri scored in the fifth and final round of a penalty shootout to help UNC beat No. 2 Princeton 1-0 at Karen Shelton Stadium Sunday afternoon. SHOOTOUT DUB ✅ HOUSE PROTECTED ✅#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/3pwTU3NUba — Carolina Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) September 6, 2026 The two teams had played to a scoreless draw after […]
UNC Field Hockey Throttles Penn for First Win of 2026 SeasonUNC led 4-0 at halftime on its way to a 7-0 thrashing of visiting Penn at Karen Shelton Stadium Friday night as part of the ACC-Ivy League Conference Crossover. The win is Carolina’s first of the 2026 season. Home sweet shutout home 🏡#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/bQFxj7HqLf — Carolina Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) September 4, 2026 The […]
This Week in UNC Sports: August 31-September 6, 2026This series of posts will be made weekly on Chapelboro with a full schedule of UNC sports contests, both in Chapel Hill and elsewhere. Note that game times and broadcast information are subject to change due to inclement weather or other factors. The first week of September means that fall sports are well and truly […]
UNC Field Hockey Loses to No. 11 Iowa; Now 0-2 to Start 2026 SeasonUNC allowed the tying and go-ahead goals in a span of 3:03 in the third quarter vs. No. 11 Iowa Sunday, and the Hawkeyes held that onto that lead to deal the Tar Heels a 3-2 loss. It’s Carolina’s second consecutive loss to open the 2026 season. The Tar Heels led 2-1 at halftime on […]
›
