University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Earn Spot In Field Hockey Final Four
November 12, 2000 | Field Hockey
Nov. 12, 2000
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- For the 12th time in the past 15 years but the first time since 1997, the University of North Carolina field hockey team has advanced to the NCAA Tournament semifinals. The third-ranked Tar Heels defeated No. 8 Massachusetts 5-1 Sunday afternoon at Francis E. Henry Stadium to improve to 19-3 on the season and set up Friday's meeting with No. 2 Maryland. The two will meet at 6:30 p.m. at Old Dominion's Foreman Field in Norfolk, Va. No. 1 ODU and No. 4 Wake Forest will play in the first semifinal game at 4 p.m.
In Friday's se, game assignments have not yet been finalized. The national championship game is scheduled for Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are available by calling the Old Dominion ticket office at (757) 683-4444 or ordering on-line at www.odusports.com.
"We're just very happy and really excited," said UNC senior forward Kristen McCann, a team captain. "I think we played our best two games of the season this weekend."
After defeating Kent State 5-3 in Saturday's first round game, UNC fell behind early on Sunday. Massachusetts, a 2-1 winner over Boston University on Saturday, got on the board early when senior Kristen Schmidt scored on an assist from senior Patty Robinson with 27:18 remaining in the first half. "We tried to calm ourselves after they scored," UNC junior Abby Martin said. "We knew that we could come back."
Martin played a key role in that comeback, scoring two goals for the second game in a row. Junior midfielder Carrie Lingo tallied two others, while junior forward Abbey Woolley provided one, the game-winner that put UNC up 2-1 with 19:01 remaining before halftime.
"It's been a point of contention that we haven't been scoring as many goals as I thought we should be," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "I've been very pleased with our offense this weekend."
UNC had 26 shots on goal to just one for UMass. The Tar Heels drew a season-high 14 penalty corners and scored on three of them.
The Minutewomen finished their season 19-4. "We did what we needed to do in the first 10 minutes, then we got away from what we had been successful doing," UMass coach Patty Shea said. "I told our players that we can't let this loss overshadow the whole season."
All four seeded teams advanced out of the 16-team NCAA field. Three of those-UNC, Maryland and Wake Forest-represent the Atlantic Coast Conference. "I'm proud of the ACC that not only did we have three of the top four seeds but that all three advanced," Shelton said.
UNC defeated Maryland 1-0 in overtime on Oct. 22. The Tar Heels have beaten Wake Forest twice this season (4-3 in overtime and 3-2) and have lost twice to ODU (2-1 in overtime and 1-0).
Carolina has won four NCAA championships in field hockey, in 1989, '95, '96 and '97.
Scoring summary: UM-Kristen Schmidt (Patty Robinson), 1st, 27:18, UNC-Carrie Lingo, 1st, 21:14, UNC-Abbey Woolley, 1st, 19:91, UNC-Abby Martin (Holly Huff, Erin Cox), 1st, 7:55, UNC-Martin (Huff, Cox), 2nd, 21:56, UNC-Lingo, 2nd, 15:19
Shots on goal: UNC 26, UM 1
Penalty corners: UNC 14, UM 1
Goalkeeper saves: UNC (Amy Tran) 0, UM (Zowie Tucker) 12
Attendance: 397
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