The No. 7 UNC field hockey team may be hitting its stride after a bumpy start to the season. Carolina followed up a 6-1 win over No. 5 Boston College on Friday with a 3-1 win over No. 15 Connecticut in Chapel Hill on Sunday afternoon.
Despite going on to dominate the game in all statistical categories, the Tar Heels actually found themselves trailing within five minutes, as UConn’s McKenna Sergi gave the visitors a 1-0 lead in the first quarter. It was the first time UNC had trailed in three home games this season.
The Huskies carried their advantage into the second quarter, but couldn’t take it to the locker rooms, as Erin Matson struck after intercepting a UConn pass inside their own circle.
The 1-1 tie held until the fourth quarter, when Matson again showed why she’s the two-time defending national player of the year. Matson corralled a bouncing ball inside UConn’s circle, then pivoted and flicked a rocket past the Huskies keeper into the cage for the tiebreaking goal with under 13 minutes to go.
UConn pulled their goalkeeper in the waning minutes to try and find an equalizer, and nearly did on a breakaway with three and a half minutes left. UNC goalkeeper Abigail Taylor found herself beaten by the UConn attack, but Carolina’s back line came to the rescue and stopped the potential tying shot. Barely 30 seconds later, Katie Dixon deflected a shot from Matson into UConn’s cage to seal Carolina’s fourth straight win.
For the game, UNC outshot the Huskies by a 15-3 margin, and didn’t allow UConn a single penalty corner.
The four-game winning streak has turned a 2-3 record into a 6-3 mark for head coach Karen Shelton’s team, with the last two coming against nationally ranked opponents. The Tar Heels will be back on the road next weekend for the first time in almost a month, playing at No. 12 Syracuse on Friday and at Albany on Sunday.
Featured image via Carolina Athletics
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