
Trailing 1-0 late in Sunday’s game against No. 8 Iowa with a 24-game win streak on the line, the top-ranked UNC field hockey team came up big when it mattered most–scoring two goals in a span of two minutes to steal a 2-1 win.
Catherine Hayden tied the game for UNC (2-0) with a tip-in goal in the 56th minute, while teammate Marissa Creatore scored in similar fashion not long after to secure the victory.
As a result, the Tar Heels have now won their last 25 games dating back to last season’s undefeated national championship run.
“We went down and I thought we were well-prepared,” head coach Karen Shelton said afterwards . “Even though we don’t like to be in that situation, we were ready for it, and I think some of that was our preseason scrimmages and being able to practice those situations.
“We learned a lot in this game,” she added. “We’re a work in progress and we’re just trying to get better. This helps us grow – we didn’t play our best and still found a way to win.”
Up Next:
The Tar Heels are now set to host their home opener at Karen Shelton Stadium this Friday, hosting the Princeton Tigers at 5 p.m. as part of the ACC/Ivy Conference Crossover.
Photo via UNC Athletics
Related Stories
‹

No. 1 UNC Field Hockey Blanks No. 4 Iowa, Advances to NCAA Title GameWith a 3-0 victory over No. 4 Iowa on Friday afternoon at Karen Shelton Stadium in Chapel Hill, the top-ranked UNC field hockey team earned a chance to play for its third straight NCAA championship on Sunday. The Tar Heels (18-1) got on the board in the second quarter with a goal from Katie […]

No. 1 UNC Field Hockey Tops No. 6 Iowa to Remain Undefeated, Advance to 11th Consecutive NCAA Final FourFor the 11th consecutive season, the top-ranked UNC field hockey team will play in the Final Four. Head coach Karen Shelton’s squad defeated No. 6 Iowa 2-1 during Sunday’s NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals in Chapel Hill at the new on-campus stadium named after her, extending the program’s win streak to 44 games overall dating back to […]

Hoffman's Overtime Goal Lifts UNC Field Hockey Past No. 20 IowaAshley Hoffman scored on a penalty stroke just under nine minutes into the first overtime period on Sunday afternoon in Chapel Hill to lift the No. 2 ranked UNC field hockey team to a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over the No. 20 Iowa Hawkeyes. The game-winner came not long after Erin Matson tied things up for […]
![]()
Top-Ranked UNC Field Hockey Knocks Off No. 17 Iowa Following Season-Opening LossKicking off the season with a pair of top-25 matchups as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge this weekend, the top-ranked UNC field hockey team didn’t start its season quite the way it had hoped. Saturday saw the No. 11 Michigan Wolverines (2-0) upset the Tar Heels by a score of 3-2 in the first […]

This Week in UNC Sports: September 14-20, 2026The upcoming week offers several high-caliber matchups for multiple UNC teams both at home and on the road.

UNC Sports: Field Hockey, Women's Soccer Win; Volleyball Loses in New YorkSeveral UNC women’s sports teams were in action up and down the east coast Sunday. In Virginia, the field hockey team earned a 2-1 win at Richmond, while down in Chapel Hill the women’s soccer team cruised to a 5-0 win at Dorrance Field against NJIT. Meanwhile, up in New York City, the volleyball team […]

UNC Field Hockey Loses Late Lead, Falls to No. 20 Old Dominion at HomeDespite leading 4-1 in the third quarter and carrying a 4-2 lead into the final 15 minutes, UNC fell to No. 20 Old Dominion 5-4 in overtime at Karen Shelton Stadium Friday. The Tar Heels had race out to a 2-0 lead in a dominant first quarter, one which saw UNC hold the Monarchs without […]
![]()
The Morning News: CHCCS Bus Snafu, Greenlaw Hall Incident UpdateIn today's news: CHCCS district officials discuss a glitch that left hundreds of students without bus assignments to start the school year.

UNC Field Hockey Beats No. 2 Princeton After Penalty ShootoutFreshman Sofia Ferri scored in the fifth and final round of a penalty shootout to help UNC beat No. 2 Princeton 1-0 at Karen Shelton Stadium Sunday afternoon. SHOOTOUT DUB ✅ HOUSE PROTECTED ✅#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/3pwTU3NUba — Carolina Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) September 6, 2026 The two teams had played to a scoreless draw after […]

UNC Field Hockey Throttles Penn for First Win of 2026 SeasonUNC led 4-0 at halftime on its way to a 7-0 thrashing of visiting Penn at Karen Shelton Stadium Friday night as part of the ACC-Ivy League Conference Crossover. The win is Carolina’s first of the 2026 season. Home sweet shutout home 🏡#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/bQFxj7HqLf — Carolina Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) September 4, 2026 The […]
›