Tar Heels Advance With 2-1 Win Over Louisville

Thursday, November 5

Charlottesville, Va.

4:00 PM

North Carolina

(16-2)

Louisville (ACC Championship first round)

(13-6)

Louisville

North Carolina

November 6, 2015 | Field Hockey

Box Score

By: UNC Athletic Communications

CHARLOTESVILLE, Va. – Third-ranked UNC got out to a 2-0 lead then held on to earn a 2-1 victory against No. 9 Louisville Thursday in a first-round game at the Atlantic Coast Conference Field Hockey Championship, being played on the campus of the University of Virginia. At University Hall Turf Field, the Tar Heels got goals from seniors Nina Notman and Emily Wold in the win.

UNC, 16-2 and seeded third in the field, moves on to Friday's semifinals and a 3:30 p.m. matchup with Boston College, the No. 7 seed.

“We're just really excited to advance in the ACC Tournament,” UNC coach Karen Shelton said. “There's no easy game. Louisville played as hard as they could, really gave us a lot to contend with. But that's good for our team, to face a lot of different looks.

“I'm proud of our team – it wasn't the prettiest win, but we're excited to win and of course to play Boston College tomorrow.”

The UNC-Louisville game was pushed back an hour as the previous game, between second-seeded Wake Forest and BC, stretched into double overtime. The Eagles finally won, 4-3 in the 97th minute of play, setting up a matchup with the winner of the following game. The Tar Heel seniors proceeded to ensure it would be them.

In the 15th minute of play, senior Casey Di Nardo carried the ball into the circle on a breakaway and was fouled. UNC was awarded a penalty stroke, which senior Nina Notman sent into the bottom right corner of the cage to put the Tar Heels up 1-0.

Carolina added another less than a minute later. Louisville keeper Ayeisha McFerran saved a shot by Notman, and senior Emily Wold gathered the rebound and shot into the left side of the cage to make it 2-0.

Carolina held the shutout until the closing minutes of the game. With just under eight minutes to play, Louisville scored on a corner, its third of the game and only one of the second half. After Shannon Johnson saved the initial shot, Stephanie Byrne put back the rebound to make it 2-1.

Virginia and top-seeded Syracuse meet in the first semifinal game, at 1 p.m. The semifinal game winners will meet Sunday at 1 p.m. for the title.

All games in the tournament are broadcast by ESPN3 and the Regional Sports Networks.

No. 3 UNC 2, No. 9 Louisville 1

Scoring: UNC – Nina Notman (penalty stroke), 14:58; UNC – Emily Wold, 15:47; UL – Stephanie Byrne, 62:07

Shots: UNC 17 (12/5); UL 11 (7/4)

Penalty corners: UNC 6 (5/1); UL 3 (2/1)

Goalkeeper saves: UNC 6 (Shannon Johnson, 70:00, 1 goal allowed, 6 saves); UL 5 (Ayeisha McFerran, 70:00, 2 goals allowed, 5 saves)

Records: UNC 16-2, Louisville 13-6