University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC Hosts Wake Forest, James Madison To Open Home Slate
August 31, 2007 | Field Hockey
Aug. 31, 2007
Podcast: Senior captain Laree Beans (mp3)
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The North Carolina field hockey team kicks off its home schedule Friday night, hosting Atlantic Coast Conference-rival Wake Forest for a 7 p.m. game at Francis E. Henry Stadium. The weekend of action continues on Sunday with a 1 p.m. home game against James Madison.
UNC (2-0) was ranked No. 3 in the preseason national poll. The first poll of the season won't be released until next week. Wake Forest sits at No. 2 in the poll and James Madison is No. 11.
Last weekend, the Tar Heels earned wins over No. 12 Michigan (3-1) and No. 10 Iowa (5-2) at the ACC-Big Ten Challenge in Ann Arbor, Mich. Wake Forest comes into the game 1-1 after splitting its matchups there, losing to Iowa and beating Michigan. James Madison is 2-0 following wins over Albany and Georgetown.
Although UNC and Wake are conference rivals, Friday's game will not count in the ACC standings. The Tar Heels and Demon Deacons will meet twice this season with the matchup in Winston-Salem on Sept. 29 the designated ACC game for this season.
UNC leads the series with Wake 27-17-4, but the Demon Deacons have won 16 of the last 20, including the last three in Chapel Hill. Wake won both of last year's matchups, 4-3 in overtime in the regular season and 3-0 in the ACC Tournament semifinals. Both games were played at UNC.
Carolina leads the series with James Madison 27-6-1. UNC won last year's matchup 4-1 in Harrisonburg, Va.
Senior Rachel Dawson, who opened the year with ACC Player of the Week honors and was named national player of the week by Womensfieldhockey.com, is the Tar Heels' goals leader with four in two games. Jesse Gey has two goals and an assist. Heather Kendell and Melanie Brill have a goal each. Katelyn Falgowski is the assists leader with three.
Following this weekend, Carolina goes on the road for the Vonnie Gros Classic Sept. 8-9 in West Chester, Pa., where UNC will face Villanova and host West Chester.
