University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Wake Forest
Tar Heels Headed For Final Four
November 15, 2009 | Field Hockey
Nov. 15, 2009
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The North Carolina field hockey team defeated Wake Forest 4-1 Sunday afternoon at Kentner Stadium to earn the program's 14th appearance in the final four, to be played next weekend in Winston-Salem. No. 3 UNC improved to 18-2 with the win, the team's third of the season against No. 7 Wake Forest (13-7).
"We are absolutely thrilled to advance to the final four," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "Every season, the toughest game to win is the one that gets you to the final four. It's incredibly difficult to win, especially against a Wake Forest team at their home field.
"I congratulate Wake Forest on an outstanding season. They out-statted us today and in many phases of the game I thought they outplayed us. We scored a lot of goals, which took some pressure off. And I'd like to congratulate Jackie Kintzer for playing such an outstanding game for us in goal."
In Sunday's NCAA Tournament second round game, the Tar Heels went ahead for good in the sixth minute of play. On the team's first penalty corner of the game and only one of the first half, senior Melanie Brill's initial shot was saved, but freshman Jaclyn Gaudioso Radvany got her stick on the rebound and sent the ball into the cage from the right side to put UNC up 1-0.
In the 16th minute, another freshman put UNC ahead 2-0 as Kelsey Kolojejchick rolled a shot into the cage from the top of the circle for her 15th goal of the year.
Wake Forest scored its only goal on a penalty corner with no time remaining on the first half clock. Aileen Davis' shot, assisted by Melissa Martin, pulled the Demon Deacons within one.
UNC answered early in the second half, however. Less than three minutes into the period, junior Katelyn Falgowski got a takeaway on the right side of the circle and sent a pass in to senior Danielle Forword, whose shot put Carolina up 3-1.
The Tar Heels' final goal came in the 52nd minute. After the UNC defense managed to keep Wake Forest from scoring on three consecutive penalty corners, junior Elizabeth Drazdowski got the ball just to the right of the goal on the counterattack. She spun and shot to give Carolina its final 4-1 lead, the same margin by which UNC won its first round game over Ohio State on Saturday.
UNC junior Jackie Kintzer made six saves for the Tar Heels. Wake Forest led in shots (13-8) and penalty corners (7-3) for the day.
The NCAA semifinal games are set for Friday at Wake Forest's Kentner Stadium, with all four seeded team advancing through the first two rounds. Top-seeded Maryland will face No. 4 Princeton at 2 p.m. and third-seeded UNC will take on second-seeded Virginia at 4:30. The national championship game is scheduled for noon next Sunday, Nov. 22.
No. 3 North Carolina 4, No. 7 Wake Forest 1
Scoring: UNC - Jaclyn Gaudioso Radvany, 5:46; UNC - Kelsey Kolojejchick, 15:21; WFU - Aileen Davis (Melissa Martin), 35:00; UNC - Danielle Forword (Katelyn Falgowski), 37:35; UNC - Elizabeth Drazdowski, 51:48
Shots: UNC 8 (3/5), WFU 13 (6/7)
Penalty corners: UNC 3 (1/2); WFU 7 (2/5)
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 6 (Jackie Kintzer, 6, 70:00); WFU 3 (Kaitlyn Ruhf, 3, 70:00)
Records: UNC 18-2, WFU 13-7
UNC starters: Jackie Kintzer, Illse Davids, Riley Foster, Melanie Brill, Kelsey Kolojejchick, Elizabeth Drazdowski, Caitlin Van Sickle, Meghan Dawson, Danielle Forword, Katelyn Falgowski, Jaclyn Gaudioso Radvany
UNC substitutes: Charlotte Verstraten, Elizabeth Stephens, Jen Slocum
