The No. 1 UNC field hockey team made its first home game in three weeks count. The Tar Heels continued to run wild over the rest of the collegiate field hockey world Friday afternoon, trouncing No. 11 Syracuse 6-1 in Chapel Hill. Erin Matson scored a goal and added an assist on the day, making her the all-time leading scorer in ACC field hockey history with 308 career points.
Though Matson was undoubtedly the star of the show, it was a fun day at Karen Shelton Stadium for the rest of the Tar Heels, too. Freshman Ryleigh Heck recorded her first career hat trick with goals in the first, second and fourth quarters. Heck now has 10 goals this season and joins Matson (17) as Tar Heels with double-digit goals in 2022.
Freshman Sietske Brüning opened the scoring less than three minutes into the game with just her second goal of the year. Kennedy Cliggett followed up eight minutes later and Heck four minutes after that. In one quarter, Carolina had peppered the Orange goal with 10 shots and amassed what proved to be an insurmountable lead.
The Tar Heels nearly recorded their sixth shutout in eight games, but the Orange scored with 32 seconds remaining on the clock in the fourth quarter. It was only the fourth goal Carolina has given up in four home games this season, with three of those goals coming from one opponent.
UNC is 12-0 this season and 4-0 in conference play, the only undefeated team in Division 1 field hockey. The team won’t play again until next Friday, when it hosts No. 6 Virginia in Chapel Hill.
Featured image via UNC Field Hockey on Twitter
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