University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Radford
Tar Heels Top Radford On Senior Day
October 29, 2006 | Field Hockey
Oct. 29, 2006
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The North Carolina field hockey team honored its three seniors before the Sunday's game then sent them out with a win, 6-1 over Radford in the eight-ranked Tar Heels' final regular-season game of the year. The three seniors - Ashley Judge, Karen Mann and Brooke Miller - will get at least one more chance to play at Francis E. Henry Stadium, however, as UNC (12-7) hosts the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament next weekend.
On Senior Day, it was the junior class that contributed most of the scoring. Alli Tanner and Jesse Gey had two goals each and Liz Morris had one. Freshman Illse Davids was the other player to score for UNC. "I liked the fact that we were able to score a lot of goals and play everybody that was able to play today," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "I felt like at times we moved the ball and showed some good aggression. We finished well, especially in the first half.
"I'm delighted with the team that they were able to send the seniors out in such fine fashion. All three have had great careers and have seen significant playing time throughout. I'm happy to see them all still out there contributing on different levels and providing great leadership."
The Tar Heels got off to a quick start against Radford (5-14), with Tanner scoring 1:14 into the match on a shot from just inside the circle. At the 8:49 mark, UNC added another goal, this time on a penalty corner. Miller's initial shot was saved by Radford goalkeeper Megan Stucke, but Davids grabbed the rebound and put it back to give the Tar Heels a 2-0 lead. Less than five minutes later, Gey scored her first goal of the day on a pass from Morris that found her right in front of the goal. Not even a minute later, the Tar Heels brought the ball down the field with Davids sending a pass in to Mann, who passed to Morris on the right side of the cage. Morris's shot got past Stucke, giving the forward from Chapel Hill her third goal of the season.
Next it was Gey's turn again. After handling the push-out on a penalty corner, she tipped in a shot by Britt van Beek from the left side of the goal. The score was her sixth of the year.
Radford's only goal of the game came 5:49 before halftime. UNC goalkeeper Brianna O'Donnell saved a shot by Highlander sophomore Alex Wladich but couldn't clear the ball out from in front of the cage. With several Radford players around the goal, Wladich was the one to get her stick on the ball again and this time get it past the UNC keeper.
After a 5-1 score at halftime, the teams managed just one goal in the second half. Less than five minutes into the period, Tanner intercepted a ball and sent a hard, low shot right at Stucke and into the goal for her ninths score of the season.
UNC finished with 26 shots, 13 in each half, to Radford's four and 10 corners to the Highlanders' one. O'Donnell had one save and Stucke made seven.
Next up for the Tar Heels is the ACC Tournament, the bracket for which will be announced on Monday. Play begins Thursday with games at 1 and 4 p.m. Semifinal games are scheduled for Friday at 4 and 7 p.m. with the championship set for noon next Sunday.
No. 8 UNC 6, Radford 1
Scoring:
UNC - Alli Tanner, 1:14; UNC - Illse Davids, 8:49; UNC - Jesse Gey (Liz Morris), 13:11; UNC - Morris (Karen Mann), 14:04; UNC - Gey (Britt van Beek), 22:10; RU - Alex Wladich, 29:11; UNC - Tanner, 39:29Shots: UNC 26, Radford 4
Penalty corners: UNC 10, RU 1
Goalkeeper saves: UNC (Brianna O'Donnell), RU (Megan Stucke) 7
Records: UNC 12-7, Radford 5-14
