UNC field hockey finished its final regular season home game of 2021 on the losing end of the scoreboard Friday.
The No. 10 Tar Heels failed to complete the comeback against No. 4 Louisville in regulation, with the Cardinals then scoring in overtime to win 3-2.
Two of the seven seniors honored ahead of Friday’s game helped Carolina draw even to send the game to extra time. Senior Hannah Griggs scored off an assist from senior Cassie Sumfest with less than three minutes remaining. But Louisville’s Aimee Plumb scored the golden goal just seconds before a second overtime was needed.
Head coach Karen Shelton said the team was “very, very disappointed” to not have come out of the game with a win, especially since Carolina had two penalty corners in overtime that they failed to convert.
“At times we played exceptionally well and I’m proud of our effort,” Shelton said afterward. “But it stinks to lose. It wasn’t fun to lose at home, and especially with five seconds on the clock. We’ll learn from this and get better. The season’s not over for us and we’ll move on from here. ”
The loss drops UNC to 9-6 overall this season and 3-2 in conference play. The loss is its second at home this season, the first of which snapped a winning streak stretching dozens of home games. Meanwhile, Louisville improved to 14-2 on the year with a 5-0 record against ACC opponents.
In addition to Griggs and Sumfest, seniors Riley Fulmer, Cassie Halpin, Abby Pitcairn, Meredith Sholder and Eva Smolenaars were honored for Senior Day.
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