North Carolina
Wake Forest
Tar Heels Top Wake Forest In OT
September 18, 2011 | Field Hockey
Sept. 18, 2011
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Freshman Loren Shealy's first career goal gave the North Carolina field hockey team a 2-1 overtime win over visiting Wake Forest Sunday afternoon at Francis E. Henry Stadium. The gamewinner, on an assist from junior Kelsey Kolojejchick, came with 15 seconds remaining in the first overtime period and improved UNC's record to 6-1 on the year. Wake Forest fell to 1-6 with second of back-to-back overtime losses.
"This is one of the games we had to grind out," UNC coach Karen Shelton said "We just had to find a way. I like the fact that we went to overtime - we hadn't played an overtime game this season, so that's important experience for us. And I loved the way we scored - Loren Shealy getting her first career goal and the fantastic assist by Kelsey Kolojejchick."
Carolina scored first, on a penalty corner in the 13th minute of play. Sophomore Marta Malmberg had the goal on a straight shot, assisted by junior Katie Ardrey and senior Teryn Brill, and the Tar Heels led at the break.
In the 40th minute of play, Wake Forest evened the score when sophomore Taylor Rhea got a ball from Molly Murphy and launched a hard shot that hit just inside the crossbar.
The score stayed knotted at 1-1 through the rest of regulation, despite a number of chances by the Tar Heels. Wake Forest goalkeeper Kaitlyn Ruhf made six saves in the second period, when UNC got off 10 of its 16 shots. "She was stellar today," Shelton said. "I'm proud of the way our players handled the frustration of a hot goalie. We just kept pounding on the door, but in overtime we finally found a way to get around her."
The goal by Shealy, a reserve forward from Charlotte, N.C., came with just 15 seconds remaining in the 15-minute, seven-on-seven overtime period. From the top of the circle, junior Katie Plyler sent a pass to Kolojejchick on the right. She sent it across to Shealy, who shot it in from the left side, just in front of the cage.
Each team had a penalty corner in overtime, and UNC got off four shots to Wake's three. The extra period was UNC's first of the year, but the third for Wake Forest, all in the last four games. The Demon Deacons beat Louisville 3-2 in overtime at home on Sept. 4 then lost 4-3 in overtime at Ohio State on Friday.
Although UNC and Wake Forest are Atlantic Coast Conference rivals, Sunday's meeting was a nonconference contest. ACC field hockey teams play each other only once each season in conference competition, but UNC and Wake Forest choose to play a home-and-home series. This year, the matchup in Winston-Salem on Sept. 30 is the designated conference game.
Sunday, UNC played without team captain Katelyn Falgowski, who hyper-extended her knee on Friday against Old Dominion and is listed as day-to-day. Vice-captain Elizabeth Stephens wore the captain's band on the field, and redshirt freshman Melanie Dawson made her first career start.
Next up for UNC is a mid-week home game against Longwood, on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Carolina opens ACC play next Saturday, Sept. 24, hosting Duke at Henry Stadium for a 1 p.m. game.
No. 1 North Carolina 2, Wake Forest 1, OT
Scoring: UNC - Marta Malmberg (Katie Ardrey, Teryn Brill), 12:50; WFU - Taylor Rhea (Molly Murphy), 39:35; UNC - Loren Shealy (Kelsey Kolojejchick), 84:45
Shots: UNC 16 (2/10/4), WFU 7 (2/2/3)
Penalty corners: UNC 5 (2/2/1), WFU 3 (2/0/1)
Saves: UNC 3 (Sassi Ammer, 84:45, 1 goal allowed, 3 saves); WFU 8 (Kaitlin Ruhf, 84:45, 2 goals allowed, 8 saves)
Records: UNC 6-1, Wake Forest 1-6
UNC Starters: Sassi Ammer, Teryn Brill, Taryn Gjurich, Katie Ardrey, Kelsey Kolojejchick, Elizabeth Stephens, Caitlin Van Sickle, Meghan Dawson, Melanie Dawson, Marta Malmberg, Jaclyn Gaudioso Radvany
UNC Substitutes: Loren Shealy, Drew Hayes, Samantha Travers, Katie Plyler, Abby Frey, Sophie Rudolph, Sinead Loughran
