University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Wake Forest
Carolina Tops Wake Forest 2-1 In OT
August 31, 2007 | Field Hockey
Aug. 31, 2007
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Senior Laree Beans scored 5:30 into overtime Friday night to give the North Carolina field hockey team a 2-1 win against Wake Forest at Francis E. Henry Stadium. A school-record crowd of 1,318 watched the Tar Heels improve to 3-0 on the season and break a five-game losing streak to the Demon Deacons (1-2).
"I'm delighted with the win," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "Our team fought very hard. They gave everything they had and I'm just proud of them for coming away with the victory."
The game marks the eighth overtime contest in the last 11 UNC-Wake matchups and the fourth year in a row that the regular-season matchup in Chapel Hill has gone into overtime. Last season, Wake Forest won 4-3 in OT at Henry Stadium in the teams' only regular-season meeting.
Although the two schools are Atlantic Coast Conference rivals, Friday's game will not count in the conference standings. ACC teams play just one conference game against each other each season and this year's designated ACC matchup is the Sept. 29 game in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Friday's crowd well surpassed the stadium capacity of 1,086. "To set a home attendance record with Carolina Fever in attendance and the band and all the moms and dads, to look across and see a packed house was so special," Shelton said. "It's unusual for field hockey and our team fed off it. I think they feel great pride in representing the University of North Carolina and representing the students that were there supporting them."
The Tar Heels got on the board first Friday, in the 15th minute of play. On a penalty corner, Katelyn Falgowski sent the ball in to Elizabeth Drazdowski right in front of the goal. The score was a career first for Drazdowski, a redshirt freshman from Mountain Top, Pa., and put the Tar Heels up 1-0.
UNC held onto the lead into the second half, but Wake Forest would tie the game in the 51st minute of play. Chelsea Cipriani passed the ball in from the right side of the circle to Emily Cummings, who shot it into the left side of the net past Tar Heel goalkeeper Brianna O'Donnell. Cummings's goal, her first of the year and the first that O'Donnell has given up this season, evened the score at 1-1 where it would stay through the rest of regulation.
In overtime, Wake Forest drew a penalty corner just over two minutes into the period, but the shot by Michelle Kasold was wide. Three minutes later, Beans dribbled into the circle and shot the ball past Wake goalkeeper Crystal Duffield, who has come out to meet her. The goal was the first of the year for Beans, a team captain from Bethlehem, Pa., and her teammates buried her in a celebratory pile as the game ended.
"Rachel Dawson gave me a great pass. We were working it in from the right side - no one collapsed on me and the goalie just came out, so there was room on the right side," Beans said. "This is always a great game to play against Wake Forest and we're no strangers to overtime with them. When you win in overtime, it's just such a sense of overwhelming relief and pride for your team."
When the teams went to the seven-on-seven format for overtime, Shelton initially didn't have Beans in the lineup but changed her mind right before the start of the period. "I looked over and saw her and my gut said to get her in," Shelton said. "I'm so proud of Laree and excited for her. There's no greater feeling than to have the gamewinning goal in front a packed house in your senior year."
UNC's last win against the Demon Deacons came in the 2004 ACC Tournament, when the Tar Heels won 2-1 in overtime, and the Tar Heels' last win over Wake in Chapel Hill also came in the 2004 season, 3-2 on penalty strokes.
Carolina returns to action Sunday, hosting James Madison for a 1 p.m. game at Henry Stadium.
No. 3 North Carolina 2, No. 2 Wake Forest 1, OT
Scoring: UNC - Elizabeth Drazdowski (Katelyn Falgowski), 14:29; WF - Emily Cummings (Chelsea Cipriani), 50:19; UNC - Laree Beans, 75:30
Shots on goal: UNC 12, Wake Forest 4
Penalty corners: UNC 4, Wake Forest 3
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 1 (Brianna O'Donnell), Wake Forest 1 (Crystal Duffield)
Records: UNC 3-0, Wake Forest 1-2
UNC starters: Brianna O'Donnell, Illse Davids, Riley Foster, Heather Kendell, Rachel Dawson, Melanie Brill, Jesse Gey, Laree Beans, Xan Funk, Danielle Forword, Katelyn Falgowski
UNC substitutes: Alli Tanner, Kiki Norbruis, Kate Scholl, Britt van Beek, Elizabeth Drazdowski, Liz Morris
