University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC Hosts Top-Ranked Wake Friday
October 13, 2005 | Field Hockey
Oct. 13, 2005
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Francis E. Henry Stadium will play host to a top-five field hockey battle Friday afternoon when No. 4 North Carolina (11-2, 1-2 ACC) takes on top-ranked and undefeated Wake Forest, the defending national champion. Game time at Henry Stadium is 4 p.m. and there is no charge for admission.
The meeting is the second of the season for Atlantic Coast Conference rivals UNC and Wake (12-0, 3-0 ACC). On Oct. 1 in Winston-Salem, N.C., the Demon Deacons beat the Tar Heels 2-0 in this year's designated conference battle. Friday's game will not count in the ACC standings.
Last year's matchup at Henry Stadium was a thrilling battle that went into penalty strokes before UNC won 3-2. At the time, the Tar Heels were ranked No. 1 in the nation and Wake was No. 2. All three of last year's meetings needed overtime to settle, and UNC won two of them, including an ACC semifinals game.
UNC will be playing its fourth game in the last week, following wins over Boston College on Saturday (3-1), Stanford on Sunday (4-0) and Davidson on Tuesday (7-0). Junior Rachel Dawson leads the team in goals with eight after scoring four in the win at Davidson. Sophomores Heather Kendell and Alli Tanner have scored five each. Senior goalkeeper Katy Tran has allowed six goals this season for a goals-against average of 0.48, the second-best percentage in the nation.
Kristi Harshman leads the Demon Deacons in goals this season with nine and Christine Suggs has eight. Goalkeeper Kristina Gagliardi has given up just 11 goals in the season's 12 games for a goals-against average of 0.92, fifth in the nation.
The Tar Heels currently lead the nation in defense, with opponents averaging 0.45 goals per game. Wake's defense ranks fourth.
After Friday's game, UNC travels to Charlottesville, Va., for a conference battle with the Cavaliers on Sunday at 1 p.m.
