Just one more game sits between the top-ranked UNC field hockey team and its first national championship since 2009.

An early offensive blitz that saw the undefeated Tar Heels score four unanswered goals in the first half led head coach Karen Shelton’s team to a 4-1 victory over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in Friday’s NCAA Tournament Semifinal.

UNC–which is 22-0 and searching for its seventh national title in the program’s history–got on the board in Louisville just under five minutes into the action when Malin Evert’s pass found the stick of Catherine Hayden, who then slotted it in the back of the net.

Freshman Erin Matson then scored twice in a row in the 16th and 30th minutes, respectively to give the Tar Heels a comfortable 3-0 lead.

Refusing to let up, though, senior Eva Van’t Hoog added the Tar Heels’ fourth–and final–goal just two minutes after Matson’s second.

Wake Forest out-shot UNC 9-4 in the second half, but by then the damage was done. A late goal from Kelsey Gill was the only real offense the Demon Deacons were able to put together.

Up Next:

The Tar Heels will stay in Louisville to play for the national title against No. 2 Maryland on Sunday at 1 p.m.

 

Photo via UNC Athletics

Related Stories
‹
No. 1 UNC Field Hockey Sweeps Weekend with Wins vs. Wake Forest and Old Dominion
No. 1 UNC had a welcome homecoming after nearly a month on the road, sweeping both Old Dominion on Sunday and Wake Forest on Friday night.
Boylan's Overtime Winner Against Wake Secures UNC's Tournament Bid
Bryn Boylan scored on a penalty stroke just over three minutes into the second overtime period on Friday afternoon in Chapel Hill, lifting the top-ranked UNC field hockey team to a 3-2 victory over Wake Forest. The win secured the ACC’s automatic bid to the 2020 NCAA Tournament for UNC, which improves to 16-1 for […]
UNC Field Hockey Blanks Wake Forest for Second Spring Shutout
Erin Matson scored twice on Saturday in Winston-Salem, guiding the UNC field hockey team to a 2-0 victory over Wake Forest. This marks the second consecutive 2-0 win for the Tar Heels (11-1) to begin the spring season, after dispatching Louisville by the same score last weekend. Each of Matson’s goals came within the first […]
UNC Field Hockey Dominates Wake Forest in Regular Season Finale
The UNC field hockey team closed out its regular season in style on Friday evening at Karen Shelton Stadium, rolling to a 5-0 shutout victory over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. All-American Erin Matson scored three goals to lead the Tar Heels (7-1), who won their sixth straight game after having their ACC-record 47-game win […]
Field Hockey: Winning Streak Extended to 47 Games as UNC Opens Season With Win Over Wake Forest
After back-to-back undefeated seasons capped off with national championships, the UNC field hockey team stayed true to form in its 2020 season opener on Sunday, defeating the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in Chapel Hill by a score of 3-1. Cassie Sumfest, Erin Matson and Meredith Sholder each scored for the Tar Heels (1-0), who racked […]
Field Hockey: No. 1 UNC Drops No. 20 Wake Forest, Sets ACC Record With 36th Straight Victory
The top-ranked UNC field hockey team set a new ACC record on Friday evening in Winston Salem, defeating the No. 20 Wake Forest Demon Deacons 3-1 for what was the Tar Heels’ 36th consecutive victory. That streak dates back to 2017, as UNC went 23-0 last season on the way to the national championship. Marissa […]
UNC Field Hockey Demolishes Wake Forest to Snag 21st ACC Tournament Championship, Remain Undefeated in 2018
With a chance to claim the 21st ACC Tournament championship in program history on Sunday at Karen Shelton Stadium in Chapel Hill, the top-ranked UNC field hockey team did not disappoint. The Tar Heels rolled to a 7-2 blowout over the visiting Wake Forest Demon Deacons to win the title–earning an automatic berth in the […]
Top-Ranked UNC Field Hockey Team Moves to 12-0 With Win Over No. 16 Wake Forest
Another game, another win for the top-ranked UNC field hockey team, which defeated No. 16 Wake Forest 5-1 on Saturday in Chapel Hill–improving its season record to 12-0 so far in 2018. The Tar Heels took a slim 1-0 lead into halftime thanks to a goal from Catherine Hayden, before exploding for four goals in […]
UNC Field Hockey Advances to ACC Semifinals With Win Over Wake Forest
A 3-2 victory over the No. 4 seed Wake Forest Demon Deacons Thursday afternoon was enough to send the fifth-seeded Tar Heels to the semifinals of the ACC Field Hockey Tournament in Louisville. Ashley Hoffman, Feline Guenther and Marissa Creatore each scored a goal for UNC (14-4), which moves on to face top-seeded Virginia in […]
No. 3 Meets No. 2: Tar Heels Beat Wake, Face Orange Next
Carolina improved to 15-4 on the season while Wake Forest dropped to 11-8 on the year.
›