UNC Caps Regular Season With Shutout Win

Saturday, October 31

Norfolk, Va.

1:00 PM

North Carolina

Old Dominion

October 31, 2009 | Field Hockey

By: UNC Athletic Communications

Oct. 31, 2009

Final Stats

NORFOLK, Va.. - The North Carolina field hockey team finished off its regular-season schedule Saturday afternoon with a 2-0 win over Old Dominion at the Lady Monarchs' Powhatan Sports Complex. The shutout was UNC's 12th of the season and boosted the Tar Heels' record to 16-1. ODU, which lost 4-0 to Carolina on Sept. 18 in Chapel Hill, fell to 8-11 overall.

Tar Heel sophomore Charlotte Verstraten scored the gamewinner in the 13th minute of play, dribbling around a defender and shooting from the right side for her third goal of the season. Carolina added one more in the second half, when sophomore Elizabeth Stephens got her third goal of the season, assisted by junior Jen Slocum in the 50th minute of play. "Every time we play ODU it's a challenge," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "This was not an easy victory. I'm really proud of the kids, especially Charlotte Verstraten, who scored the first goal and had a hand in the second."

UNC outshot the host team 18-9, with 12 of the Tar Heels' shots coming in the first half. Carolina also led on corners, 11-4. All of ODU's corner opportunities came before halftime.

With the win, Carolina pulled ahead of Old Dominion in the teams' overall series, which dates back to 1978 and now stands at 34-33-2 in UNC's favor. ODU was the only rival Carolina had played more than 10 times and still trailed in the overall series. "It's also a huge milestone for the program, to take a lead in the series with ODU," Shelton said. "All of the student-athletes who have played in our program can take pride in that."

Next up for the Tar Heels is the Atlantic Coast Conference Field Hockey Championship, beginning Thursday in Charlottesville, Va. The tournament bracket was announced on Saturday. As the second seed, UNC receives a first-round bye and will play either third-seeded Virginia or sixth-seeded Duke on Friday at 6:30 p.m. The Cavaliers and Blue Devils meet in a first-round game on Thursday, with the winner advancing to face UNC.

Undefeated Maryland has the the top seed. No. 4 Wake Forest and No. 5 Boston College will meet in the first round, with the winner advancing to face the Terrapins in Friday's first semifinal game, set for 4 p.m. For more information on the conference tournament, go to theACC.com.

"It's about surviving and advancing now," Shelton said. "Everyone is 0-0. We're proud to play in the ACC and we're looking forward to the tournament this weekend. We'll get back to practice this week and try to continue to improve."

No. 2 North Carolina 2, Old Dominion 0
Scoring: UNC - Charlotte Verstraten, 12:46; UNC - Elizabeth Stephens (Jen Slocum), 49:26
Shots: UNC 18 (12/6); ODU 9 (5/4)
Penalty corners: UNC 11 (6/5); ODU 4 (4/0)
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 3 (Jackie Kintzer, 70:00); ODU 7 (Kelly Driscoll, 70:00)
Records: UNC 16-1, ODU 8-11