University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Field Hockey Kicks Off 2000 Season
August 25, 2000 | Field Hockey
Aug. 25, 2000
CHAPEL HILL-The University of North Carolina field hockey team will kick off the 2000 season and the newly-established Carlyle Cup competition on Saturday afternoon at Francis E. Henry Stadium. Game time is 1 p.m. and admission is free.
The Carlyle Cup is a yearlong contest in which UNC and Duke will be awarded points for head-to-head competition in 20 sports. Saturday's field hockey game is the first meeting of the academic year between the two schools.
"Carolina-Duke matchups are already so intense that it would be hard to add anything more," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "But I do think the Carlyle Cup competition will bring even more interest and pride to the rivalry."
The Tar Heels return 10 starters from a team that finished 16-6 last season and was tied for seventh in the final national poll. Duke finished 13-8 last season and was ranked 11th in the final poll. Carolina won both of last year's matchups, 4-0 on Aug. 29 and 3-0 on Oct. 3, and leads the overall series 52-5-1.
"I'm very excited to get the season going," Shelton said. "We've made tremendous progress in the preseason, but when you play your first game it always points out deficiencies. That's why we like to play a tough schedule, because it points out the areas in which we need to improve."
After Saturday's game, the Tar Heels will play four games on the road before returning home for a Sept. 16 meeting with Old Dominion.
