No. 2 UNC beat both No. 7 Michigan and No. 15 Iowa to sweep the ACC-Big Ten Challenge in Iowa City, IA during Labor Day weekend.

In the first game against the Wolverines Friday afternoon, goals from Ryleigh Heck and her sister Kara helped the Tar Heels to a 3-0 shutout victory.

Ryleigh Heck, the senior forward and 2023 national player of the year, opened the scoring midway through the first quarter after receiving a field-length pass from freshman Bel Boere and beating the Wolverine goalie in a one-on-one fast break.

Carolina then weathered an offensive blitz from Michigan in the second quarter, with Tar Heel goalie Katie Wimmer making four of her five total saves in the 15-minute period. UNC held a 1-0 lead going into halftime.

Sanne Hak doubled the advantage less than three minutes into the third quarter, converting a penalty stroke to give UNC a 2-0 lead. Kara Heck, Ryleigh’s older sister who is using her final year of eligibility with the Tar Heels after transferring from Rutgers in the offseason, added on later in the quarter.

UNC doubled up Michigan in total shots (12-6) and held the Wolverines to just one shot on target outside of the second quarter and none in the fourth.

In the second game against the host Hawkeyes Sunday, Carolina conceded the opening goal but locked down Iowa’s offense after that, pitching a shutout for the final 56 minutes of action. Virginia transfer Dani Mendez equalized for UNC five minutes after Iowa’s goal, and Ryleigh Heck struck 18 seconds into the second quarter to put the Tar Heels in front for good.

Mendez added insurance later in the period, and Kara Heck scored UNC’s fourth goal of the game just 46 seconds into the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Carolina’s defense withstood steady offensive pressure from the Hawkeyes, as goalie Katie Wimmer and Merritt Skubisz combined to make six saves.

UNC is now 2-0 for the second straight season under head coach Erin Matson. The Tar Heels will remain on the road next weekend, when they will face both Penn and Princeton in New Jersey as part of the ACC-Ivy League Conference Crossover. The home opener against Appalachian State at Karen Shelton Stadium is scheduled for Friday, September 12 at 6 p.m.

 

Featured image via UNC Field Hockey on Twitter

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