University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Duke
Tar Heels Top Duke 2-0 In ACC Tournament Play
November 2, 2006 | Field Hockey
Nov. 2, 2006
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Eighth-ranked North Carolina scored two goals in the final six minutes of play to beat No. 4 Duke 2-0 Thursday in the first-round of play at the Atlantic Coast Conference Field Hockey Tournament at Francis E. Henry Stadium. With the win, the host Tar Heels advanced to a semifinals game Friday at 7 p.m. against Wake Forest, the tournament's second seed and the No. 2 team in country. UNC, the No. 6 seed, improved to 13-7 on the season with the win, while third-seeded Duke fell to 14-5.
"This was a hard-fought game by both teams," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "I thought our kids played probably the best complete game of the season and did it together. I'm very pleased with the win."
Junior Alli Tanner scored the gamewinner with 5:10 remaining in regulation, deflecting in a shot by senior Brooke Miller. The goal was her 10th of the season and her third gamewinner.
The Tar Heels made it 2-0 three minutes later when they were awarded a penalty stroke and Miller sent the shot past Duke goalkeeper Caitlin Williams and into the upper lefthand corner of the cage.
"There was a lot of high energy and positive communication on the field for us, especially on defense," Miller said. "I think that made the difference for us."
With the win, UNC reclaims half of the Carlyle Cup point for field hockey that the Blue Devils won with a 2-1 overtime victory in the teams' first meeting of the season, Sept. 23 in Durham.
For the game, the Tar Heels outshot Duke 13-7, with a 6-1 advantage in the first half. Freshman goalkeeper Brianna O'Donnell made three saves for UNC in earning her eighth shutout of the season and junior Xan Funk had a defensive save. For Duke, Williams made one save and Cara-Lynn Lopresti and Rachel Link had defensive saves.
Duke was playing less than a day after receiving the news that Blue Devil assistant coach Maria Whitehead, a former Wake Forest player, had passed away Wednesday night after a battle with cancer. She was 25. "We went into the game wanting to play for everything she's meant to us and I think we did," Duke coach Beth Bozman said. "I was very, very proud of our performance today. I think people left their hearts on the field."
"There was a lot of emotion on the field today," said Shelton, who had coached Whitehead on summer league teams.
Carolina has little more than 24 hours to prepare for the matchup with Wake Forest, which had a first-round bye. The Demon Deacons beat the Tar Heels 4-3 in overtime on Sept. 30 in the season's first matchup. "It's tournament time, so you don't have time to savor a victory very long," Shelton said. "We're just delighted we have the chance to play tomorrow, not only to play Wake Forest, but to prepare for NCAA Tournament time."
In the day's first game, fifth-seeded Virginia beat fourth-seeded Boston College 2-1. The Cavaliers will face top-seeded Maryland, ranked No. 1 in the nation, at 4 p.m. Friday in the first semifinals game.
No. 8 North Carolina 2, No. 4 Duke 0
Scoring: UNC - Alli Tanner (Brooke Miller), 64:50; UNC - Brooke Miller (penalty stroke), 67:51
Shots: UNC 13, Duke 7
Penalty corners: UNC 7, Duke 6
Goalkeeper saves: UNC (Brianna O'Donnell) 3, Duke (Caitlin Williams) 1
Defensive saves: UNC 1 (Xan Funk), Duke 2 (Cara-Lynn Lopresti, Rachel Link)
Records: UNC 13-7, Duke 14-5
