University of North Carolina Athletics
Reaching The Peak
November 13, 2011 | Field Hockey
Nov. 13, 2011
By Helen Buchanan, Tar Heel Monthly
The Carolina field hockey team is on the final leg of an incredible journey. The 2011 season is one for storybooks for sure: only a single loss to the one team that has bounced the 1-2 spots with the Tar Heels, a stalwart backfield that keeps competition in their own territory, the most shut-outs in the nation and four Final Fours in the last five years. But the best part? They've still got business to take care of.
"[The girls] know, as I've said many times before it's the hardest game to win, the second round game. We can celebrate the fact that we've had a great season now that we're advancing," said head coach Karen Shelton after the 5-1 win over No. 8 Michigan on Sunday. "Only four teams left and we take great pride in having the chance to play for a national championship but the pressure isn't removed once you get to the Final Four."
Last year Carolina lost to only one team, Maryland, who went on to win the national title. In three games last year, the Terps held the Tar Heels to just two goals in each outing. Scoring was a priority in 2011 for both a safety net as the clock ticked down and seemingly as a way of saying they had higher sights for the future.
"I think they obviously were disappointed [with last year], but coming in second provides an awful lot of motivation," said Coach Shelton, "When you win sometimes you get comfortable and I like the fact that our team is working so hard to get us to this point today."
Coach Shelton credits a stellar off-season and rigorous practice schedule to fine-tuning their shortcomings. As far as scoring goes, the "problem" is non-existent. Notching nine goals over the weekend's first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament, the No. 1 ranked Tar Heels are packing their bags for Louisville, Ky., for the semifinals and a potential championship match. That's three goals total more than their next opponent in the UConn Huskies and last year's title winner Maryland as well as two more than their sole victor Old Dominion who faces off against Maryland in the other half of the bracket.
Key to this scoring frenzy and domination is the Carolina backfield. Coach Shelton has melded this team's strategy around her top defenders and a strong midfielder core that has left most of Carolina's opponents playing in their own territory during the 23 games this season. She says having the back take such control over the ball movement leaves a lot of opportunity to keep the offense in the circle The result is obvious - more capitalized scoring opportunities and unmatched ball movement to give all sorts of approaches to the goal.
The potential for another Maryland match-up for the national final is possible, a fact the team is a little weary of just because they play each other so often anyway. Same scenario with Old Dominion but with the added vengeance against that single loss (which, technically, Carolina already took care of in Norfolk, Va., Oct. 30th in overtime). The match-up against Connecticut is frankly a break for the Tar Heels, according to Coach Shelton. Meeting an unfamiliar face can test the team to be better prepared for any surprises a known adversary could pull out at the intense level of competition the Final Four always brings. However, timing may be on the Heels' side...
"There's so much at stake especially for our team going into the tournament as the number one seed," said Coach Shelton. "We're going to be a tough team to stop. I'm really proud that we haven't peaked yet and it wasn't like `That's the best we've got.' That's exciting going forward."
Helen Buchanan is the director of marketing for Tar Heel Monthly. Follow the Tar Heel Monthly staff on Twitter.
