Second-ranked UNC Earns Seventh Shutout

Sunday, September 20

Chapel Hill, N.C.

1:00 PM

North Carolina

Longwood

September 20, 2009 | Field Hockey

By: UNC Athletic Communications

Sept. 20, 2009

Final Stats | Photo Gallery

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The North Carolina field hockey team earned its sixth consecutive shutout and seventh in nine games with a 6-0 win over visiting Longwood Sunday afternoon at Francis E. Henry Stadium. Second-ranked Carolina improved to 9-0 with the win, while the unranked Lancers fell to 2-5.

The Tar Heels have given up just two goals this season, while averaging 5.7 per game. Opponents are getting off an average of 3.6 shots per contest, but Carolina didn't allow any on Sunday.

"I'm pleased with our team's continued development," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "Every game, we try to improve in some areas. I think we've solidified, and will continue to work on, a defensive mentality - I think it's there, hence no circle penetrations today, no penalty corners, no shots on goal. We've been giving up a little bit here and there, but still playing pretty stingy defense. I think we're starting to really become a wall, which I like.

"It's a team effort. It's not just the backs and the goalkeeper, it starts with the forwards. They have done such a fantastic job of pressuring the balls, channeling, keeping teams to one side, kind of taking away big opportunities. And our midfield is solid, so that makes the backs' job that much easier."

Senior back Melanie Brill accounted for the team's first two goals Sunday, both on penalty corners. The first came in the 17th minute of play, assisted by senior Riley Foster and junior Katelyn Falgowski. The second was 25 seconds before halftime, assisted by Falgowski, and put the Tar Heels up 2-0 heading into the break. UNC scored on two of its five first-half penalty corners and totaled 10 shots in the period.

After halftime, the Tar Heels scored four more goals, all from the field. Less than two minutes into the period, Falgowski took a pass from freshman Kelsey Kolojejchick and shot from mid-circle to put UNC up 3-0. In the 41st minute, it was Kolojejchick's turn, as she carried the ball into the circle and sent a shot past Longwood keeper Erin Bollinger, who made seven saves on the day.

The Tar Heels scored again less than a minute later, when junior Elizabeth Drazdowski sent a ball in from the left side and sophomore Charlotte Verstraten deflected it into the goal. The final goal came in the 61st minute, when senior Danielle Forword blasted a shot that hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced into the cage.

For the game, UNC had 26 shots while holding the Lancers to none. Junior Jackie Kintzer and senior Brianna O'Donnell shared the shutout for UNC, each playing a half.

Next up for Carolina is the start of the Atlantic Coast Conference schedule, which includes facing each of the other five conference teams once. The Tar Heels host Duke Saturday at 1 p.m. in a game that also counts toward the 2009-10 Carlyle Cup standings. (UNC played Wake Forest on Sept. 4, but that matchup was designated as a nonconference game and does not figure in the ACC standings. The Tar Heels also will play a nonconference game against Duke on Oct. 11.)

""We know the game on Saturday against Duke is going to be a great challenge," Shelton said. "We expect a huge battle."

No. 2 North Carolina 6, Longwood 0
Scoring: UNC - Melanie Brill (Riley Foster, Katelyn Falgowski), 16:12; UNC - Brill (Falgowski), 34:35; UNC - Falgowski (Kelsey Kolojejchick), 36:43; UNC - Kolojejchick, 40:56; UNC - Charlotte Verstraten (Elizabeth Drazdowski), 41:45; UNC - Danielle Forword, 60:53
Shots: UNC 26 (10/16); Longwood 0
Penalty corners: UNC 11 (5/6); Longwood 0
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 0 (Jackie Kintzer, 0, 35:00; Brianna O'Donnell, 0, 35:00); Longwood 9 (Erin Bollinger, 7, 62:00; Amy Lewis, 2, 8:00)
Records: UNC 9-0, Longwood 2-5