North Carolina
Virginia
Tar Heels Stay Alive With OT Win
November 19, 2010 | Field Hockey
Nov. 19, 2010
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Junior Meghan Dawson's penalty corner goal just over four minutes into overtime Friday afternoon sent the North Carolina field hockey team to Sunday's NCAA championship game with a 4-3 win over third-ranked Virginia. The second-ranked Tar Heels (22-2) will meet Maryland, a 3-1 winner over Ohio State in the second semifinal game.
The championship matchup is set for noon Sunday at Maryland's Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex. A live broadcast will be available at ncaasports.com and through a link on TarHeelBlue.com.
"We're very, very excited to advance to the final game," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "I think everybody who watched that game enjoyed a very exciting game of field hockey. I want to congratulate the University of Virginia - obviously, either team could have won that game."
The Cavaliers jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a pair of goals by Paige Selenski, who would finish the day with a hat trick. UNC finally got on the board 95 seconds before halftime, when senior Elizabeth Drazdowski deflected in a ball from sophomore Caitlin Van Sickle on a penalty corner.
"We really didn't change anything at halftime," Shelton said. "We felt like we were right in the game and if we just kept sticking to the process and passing the ball and playing solid defense that we'd have a chance."
The Tar Heels tied the score at 2-2 in the 43rd minute when freshman Marta Malmberg sent the first penalty stroke attempt of her career into the upper left corner of the cage.
In the 52nd minute, UNC took its first lead of the game when Van Sickle scored on a penalty corner, on an assist from junior Teryn Brill.
Carolina's lead was short-lived, as Selenski scored her third goal of the day just 43 seconds later to tie the game at 3-3. The deadlock lasted through the end of regulation, and the Tar Heels found themselves in just their second overtime game of the season. The first was also against Virginia, and UNC won that one 1-0 in the ACC Championship semifinals on Nov. 5.
Just over four minutes into the seven-on-seven overtime, UNC drew the first penalty corner of extra time. Drazdowski inserted the ball to Dawson, who admitted afterward that she didn't exactly follow the plan. "I was supposed to dish it to the left to Caitlin Van Sickle, but I saw their flyer come up so I just knew I had to take the shot," she said.
"We call that improvisation," Shelton added. "She did the right thing."
Dawson's goal, her fifth of the season, made the Tar Heels 2-0 in overtime games this year and put Carolina in the NCAA championship game for the 13th time in school history.
Maryland won both Tar Heel-Terrapin matchups this season, 3-2 in College Park on Oct. 23 and 5-2 in the ACC Championship game on Nov. 7. The teams also met in last year's NCAA title game, with Carolina winning 3-2.
No. 2 North Carolina 4, No. 3 Virginia 3, OT
Scoring: UVa - Paige Selenski (Taylor Swezy), 18:17; UVa - Selenski (Elly Buckley), 26:21; UNC - Elizabeth Drazdowski (Caitlin Van Sickle), 33:25; UNC - Marta Malmberg (penalty stroke), 42:50; UNC - Van Sickle (Teryn Brill), 51:02; UVa - Selenski (Haley Carpenter), 51:45; UNC - Meghan Dawson (Drazdowski), 74:19
Shots: UNC 12 (4/7/1); UVa 5 (2/3/0)
Penalty corners: UNC 10 (5/4/1); UVa 2 (2/0/0)
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 2 (Jackie Kintzer, 3 GA, 2 S, 74:19); UVa 3 (Kim Kastuk, 4 GA, 74:19)
Records: UNC 22-2; Virginia 18-4
UNC starters: Jackie Kintzer, Teryn Brill, Taryn Gjurich, Katie Ardrey, Kelsey Kolojejchick, Elizabeth Stephens, Elizabeth Drazdowski, Caitlin Van Sickle, Meghan Dawson, Marta Malmberg, Jaclyn Gaudioso Radvany
UNC substitutes: Jen Slocum, Sinead Loughran,
