UNC Headed Back To Final Four After Shutout Of Michigan

Sunday, November 15

Chapel Hill, N.C.

2:00 PM

North Carolina

(20-2)

Michigan (NCAA Championship second round)

(18-5)

Team	1	2	Final F
Michigan	0	0	0
North Carolina	1	0	1

November 15, 2015 | Field Hockey

Box Score

By: UNC Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The top-ranked North Carolina field hockey team beat No. 10 Michigan 1-0 Sunday afternoon at Francis E. Henry Stadium to advance to its seventh consecutive NCAA semifinal and 20th in program history. Freshman Ashley Hoffman scored the gamewinner on a first-half penalty corner and the Tar Heel defense kept the Wolverines off the board to preserve the win.

“I thought it was a fantastic game, a defensive battle by two great teams,” said UNC coach Karen Shelton, whose team is making an NCAA-best 32nd tournament appearance. “Congratulations to Michigan for having a wonderful season and taking us to the wire. I thought it was incredibly hard-fought.

“Everybody played their hearts out and I couldn't be prouder of our group for getting back to the final four.”

The final four is set for this Friday and Sunday (Nov. 20 and 22) in Ann Arbor, Mich., and includes three Atlantic Coast Conference teams along with two-time defending champion Connecticut. UNC will meet No. 6 Duke in one semifinal, while No. 2 Syracuse will meet No. 3 UConn in the other.

The Tar Heel goal came in the 23rd minute, on the team's first corner of the game. Hoffman's shot, assisted by senior Nina Notman, got past UM keeper Sam Swenson for what would turn out to be the game's only score.

“I'm so excited to go to the final four,” Hoffman said. “We've been working so hard for this.”

With the win, UNC moved to 9-0 at home this season. Four of the Carolina defense's five shutouts came at Henry Stadium, where the Tar Heels gave up just six goals all fall.

“I'm proud of my seniors, who went undefeated at Henry Stadium this year, their final one here,” Shelton said. “They've led all season long and to get a shutout and remain undefeated in their last game here was a great accomplishment. “

No. 1 UNC 1, No. 10 Michigan 0

Scoring: UNC – Ashley Hoffman (Nina Notman), 22:05

Shots: UNC 16 (12/4), UM 2 (2/0)

Penalty corners: UNC 4 (3/1), UM 1 (1/0)

Goalkeeper saves: UNC 2 (Shannon Johnson, 70:00, 2 saves, 0 goals allowed); UM 8 (Sam Swenson, 68:47, 8 saves, 1 goal allowed; Team, 1:13, 0 saves, 0 goals allowed)

Defensive saves: UM 1 (Mackenzie Ellis)