The No. 2 UNC field hockey team saw a 2-0 halftime lead go up in smoke at No. 7 Virginia on Friday, allowing three Cavalier goals in a span of 5:17 to flip the game in the third quarter and eventually losing 3-2. It’s Carolina’s first ACC loss since 2021.
Virginia’s third-quarter blitz came after UNC held them without a single shot through the first 30 minutes. A pair of goals from Ryleigh Heck in the second quarter had staked Carolina to its early lead, but the Cavaliers scored 2:33 into the third and then won a pair of penalty corners to score the tying and go-ahead goals. They would be Virginia’s only three shots on goal of the entire game.
UNC continued knocking on the door after falling behind, with Heck and Sanne Hak each firing shots on goal, but the Tar Heels could not find the back of the cage. Goalie Maddie Kahn was pulled for an extra attacker midway through the fourth quarter, but it made no difference.
The loss drops Carolina to 11-3 overall and 4-1 in ACC play. The team has one more regular-season game remaining: a home date with No. 3 Duke on October 27 at 6 p.m. After that, the Tar Heels will return to Charlottesville for the ACC Tournament, which begins on October 31.
Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jerome M. Ibrahim
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