In a battle between two of the nation’s top 10 field hockey teams, the top-ranked Tar Heels went on the road and pulled out a 2-0 shutout victory over the No. 8 Princeton Tigers on Friday.

Freshman Meredith Sholder scored just over three minutes into the action to give UNC an early lead, while Gab Major added another tally in the second half to serve as insurance.

The Tar Heel defense held strong throughout the night–including a diving stop by goalkeeper Amanda Hendry on Princeton’s penalty stroke attempt–as the team improved to 2-1 in 2017.

It was the first game of the season for Princeton (0-1), which entered the season with high expectations related to its preseason ranking.

“We’re delighted to get a shutout against Princeton,” UNC head coach Karen Shelton said after the game. “They had a great crowd, the whole football team was there and they were loud. Our kids found a way to win and get the shutout. It was a great team effort and it required mental and physical toughness.”

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The Tar Heels will face another Ivy League opponent on Sunday, when they travel to Philadelphia to face Penn at noon.

Photo via UNC Athletics

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