The No. 2 UNC field hockey team concluded its west coast trip with a flourish, defeating Stanford 6-0 on Sunday. It’s the third straight shutout win for Carolina, and the Tar Heels have outscored their last three opponents 17-0.

As with Friday’s win against Cal, a dominant second quarter sprung UNC out to a huge lead it would not relinquish. The Tar Heels scored four times in the 15-minute period, with Ryleigh Heck, Katie Dixon, Kennedy Cliggett and Ashley Sessa each finding the back of the Cardinal cage. Lisa Slinkert and Heck each scored in the third quarter.

Heck and Sessa, two of the Tar Heels’ talented freshmen, are both off to torrid starts in 2022. The duo each have five goals, which is tied for second behind only Erin Matson. Sunday’s game was the first of the 2022 season in which Matson didn’t score, though the fifth-year senior did pick up her second assist of the campaign. Matson, Heck and Sessa have scored 17 of UNC’s 29 goals on the year.

The Tar Heels are in the middle of a stretch of six of seven games being played away from Karen Shelton Stadium. Their next road contest is a challenging one: a visit to No. 5 Louisville, who like Carolina are undefeated on the season. That game will be played on Friday at 3 p.m.

 

Featured image via Stanford Athletics/John Lozano

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