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

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

Related Stories
‹
Erin Matson Named to Forbes' '30 Under 30 Sports' List for 2025
UNC field hockey head coach Erin Matson has been named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30 Sports” List for 2025, honoring young stars around the world who are “fearlessly leading sports into the future,” according to the magazine. “Honored to be alongside such inspirational barrier breakers,” Matson said on social media. “Proud to represent Carolina and […]
Saint Joseph's Upsets No. 1 UNC Field Hockey in NCAA Semifinals
Saint Joseph's snapped No. 1 UNC's 27-game winning streak and ended the Tar Heels' bid for a third straight national championship.
UNC Field Hockey Shuts Out Duke, Advances to 28th Final Four
Carolina cruised past No. 9 Duke in its final home game of the season on Sunday afternoon, shutting out the Blue Devils 3-0 in the NCAA quarterfinals to advance to next week’s Final Four in Ann Arbor, MI. Final Four here we come!!#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/cycFgXBFdV — UNC Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) November 17, 2024 Ryleigh […]
UNC Field Hockey Cruises Past Delaware in NCAA Tournament 1st Round
Carolina scored three goals in the opening quarter of Friday’s NCAA Tournament first-round game against Delaware at Karen Shelton Stadium, and the Tar Heels cruised to a 4-0 win to advance to Sunday’s national quarterfinals. Took care of business in round 1️⃣#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/8s9vvXHaEI — UNC Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) November 15, 2024 Katie Dixon, […]
Chansky's Notebook: Matson Master Class
If Erin Matson goes two for two on national championships after winning ACC Coach of the Year, surely she deserves a raise.
UNC Field Hockey Earns No. 1 Overall Seed in NCAA Tournament
The Tar Heels now know their path to a three-peat. Carolina earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Field Hockey Tournament on Sunday night and will host either Fairfield or Delaware at Karen Shelton Stadium on Friday at 11 a.m. The Stags and Blue Hens will play in Chapel Hill on Wednesday at […]
UNC Field Hockey Defeats Boston College, Clinches 8th Straight ACC Tournament Title
Carolina continued its dominance over the ACC field hockey circuit by defeating No. 3 seed Boston College 4-1 in the conference championship game in Winston-Salem on Friday. It’s UNC’s eighth straight ACC Tournament title and 27th in program history. That's #️⃣2️⃣7️⃣!! Who else but the Heels? We are the 2024 ACC Champions! pic.twitter.com/wUwWX7Vyz4 — UNC […]
UNC Field Hockey Defeats Syracuse, Advances to ACC Championship Game
Charly Bruder led another dominant effort by Carolina on Wednesday in the ACC semifinals as the No. 1 seed Tar Heels defeated No. 5 Syracuse 3-1 in Winston-Salem. Took care of business against the Cuse. Friday we go for #️⃣8️⃣ in a row and #️⃣2️⃣7️⃣ total. #GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/aLLoDZLzrN — UNC Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) […]
UNC Field Hockey Dominates Cal in ACC Tournament Opener
UNC left no doubt in the opening round of the ACC Tournament on Tuesday morning in Winston-Salem, cruising past Cal 5-0.
5 UNC Field Hockey Players Named All-ACC; Erin Matson Named Coach of the Year
The UNC field hockey program earned several honors from the ACC after winning the league’s regular-season title for the third consecutive season. Five Tar Heels earned spots on All-ACC teams, Ryleigh Heck was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Year and Erin Matson was named the ACC Coach of the Year. This team is something […]
›