The No. 1 UNC field hockey team began its quest for a 10th NCAA title in style Friday afternoon, defeating Delaware 5-1 at Karen Shelton Stadium. The Tar Heels are now through to the national quarterfinals against the either Wake Forest or Saint Joseph’s. That game will be played Sunday at noon in Chapel Hill.

Despite the lopsided final score, Carolina actually found itself in a deficit just 11 seconds into the action. Delaware scored on an early penalty corner to take a 1-0 lead. It was UNC’s first deficit since the second game of the season all the way back in August.

But the Tar Heels erased that deficit and then some before the halftime whistle: all five of their goals came in the first or second quarters. Sophomore Kennedy Cliggett’s sixth and seventh goals of the season tied the game and gave the Tar Heels the lead in the first quarter. In the second quarter, goals from ACC Freshman of the Year Ryleigh Heck, Ashley Sessa and Lisa Slinkert padded the lead. It was all part of an offensive avalanche by Carolina in the first half to the tune of 21 total shots. Delaware had just three.

Fifth-year forward Erin Matson, playing in her final NCAA Tournament, led the Tar Heels with seven shots and and six shots on goal, but did not find the back of the cage against the Blue Hens. Matson also didn’t score in the ACC Championship against Virginia, and Friday marked the first time she failed to score in consecutive games since September. Matson did end the game with one assist, extending her own ACC points record.

Friday was also the sixth time this season Carolina has scored at least five goals in a single game. Its 21 shots were its most in a game since October 9.

Sunday’s second-round game at Karen Shelton Stadium will mark the final home game for UNC’s senior class, including Matson. This season’s Final Four will be played in Storrs, CT, where Carolina hopes to capture a fourth national championship in five seasons.

 

Featured image via UNC 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
‹
Jason DeCaro, Reese Brantmeier, Ryleigh Heck Named 2026 Patterson Medal Winners
UNC announced the 2026 class of Patterson Medal winners Tuesday morning. The Patterson Medal, first awarded in 1924, is the school’s most prestigious honor for athletic excellence and career achievement. To receive the award, Tar Heel athletes must have competed in at least three seasons for UNC and have exhausted their collegiate eligibility. The 2026 […]
UNC Field Hockey Releases 2026 Regular Season Schedule
The UNC field hockey program has released its schedule for the 2026 regular season. It will be the program’s fourth year under the leadership of head coach Erin Matson. The moment you've all been waiting for 🥳 The 2026 Carolina Field Hockey schedule is here! pic.twitter.com/3m0maMAqSK — Carolina Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) July 26, 2026 UNC […]
UNC Field Hockey Head Coach Erin Matson to Appear on New ABC Series
UNC field hockey head coach Erin Matson will be featured on the latest episode of the ABC series “The Champion’s Edge with Bonnie Bernstein.” The series, which premiered in May, “highlights women excelling in their professional fields and spotlights the lessons they have learned as athletes that drive their successes while featuring practical advice on […]
Check out the Full Schedule for UNC's ACC Network Takeover
The ACC Network will air a full day of UNC games from the 2025-26 academic year Wednesday, July 1. It’s part of a series of ACC Network Takeovers, which started June 24 and include all 18 member schools. UNC’s takeover includes wall-to-wall coverage from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. The broadcast day gets underway with […]
Multiple UNC Teams Post Perfect Academic Progress Rates, New Report Says
Several UNC sports programs posted perfect single-year and multi-year academic progress rates for the 2024-25 academic year, according to the NCAA’s latest report. Academic progress rate (APR) is used to track performance of scholarship students who compete on varsity teams, and the score measures eligibility and retention each semester. A perfect score is 1000, and […]
UNC Field Hockey Falls to Northwestern in Overtime in NCAA Final Four
Northwestern scored 9:23 into sudden-victory overtime to cap off a comeback win and beat UNC 4-3 at the NCAA Final Four in Durham Friday afternoon. The Wildcats hadn’t led all day, as Carolina raced out to a 2-0 lead inside 15 minutes thanks to goals from sisters Ryleigh and Kara Heck. Though Northwestern closed the […]
UNC Field Hockey Beats Duke in Overtime to Advance to Final Four
Sanne Hak scored the game-winning goal off a penalty corner in sudden-victory overtime against Duke to send UNC through to the Final Four Sunday at Karen Shelton Stadium. The 2-1 win is Carolina’s third against the Blue Devils this season, two of which have come in overtime. THREE TIMES DOWNING THE DEVILS!! AND WE'RE HEADED […]
UNC Field Hockey Escapes Saint Joseph's in NCAA Tournament 1st Round
Despite a spirited effort from underdog Saint Joseph’s, UNC escaped with a 2-1 win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Karen Shelton Stadium Friday afternoon. The Tar Heels are now through to Sunday’s second round, where they will await the winner of Iowa and Duke. Won the battle. More war to come!#GoHeels […]
UNC Field Hockey Earns No. 1 Overall Seed in 2025 NCAA Tournament
Carolina is once again the No. 1 team in the country entering the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels earned the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed Sunday night for the fourth consecutive year. Top seed. Not satisfied. The Heels host the NCAA First & Second Rounds once again. pic.twitter.com/Xer4W9IYtK — Carolina Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) November 10, […]
UNC Field Hockey Beats Virginia to Win 9th Consecutive ACC Tournament Title
Dani Mendez scored two goals to haunt her former team and lead UNC to a 4-1 win against Virginia in the ACC Tournament title game in Louisville Friday. The win is Carolina’s ninth straight conference championship and 28th overall. It’s also the 300th ACC title overall for UNC programs. 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐄𝐋𝐒𝐄 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐑 𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐒 […]
›