Bozek's Goal Lifts UNC To Overtime Win Over Virginia

Friday, October 7

Chapel Hill, N.C.

6:00 PM

North Carolina

(11-2 (3-1ACC))

Virginia

(8-5 (2-2ACC))

OT 2

Virginia

North Carolina

October 8, 2016 | Field Hockey

Box Score

By: UNC Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – North Carolina senior Emma Bozek calmly scored a goal that created pandemonium Friday evening, pulling around the Virginia goalkeeper and shooting into an empty cage to earn the Tar Heels a 3-2 overtime win in a top-10 Atlantic Coast Conference field hockey matchup. Playing at home at Francis E. Henry Stadium, third-ranked UNC improved to 11-2 overall and 3-1 in league play, while No. 10 Virginia fell to 8-5 overall (2-2 ACC).

“To have a game-winning goal like that with such poise and composure around a really good UVa goalkeeper is amazing,” UNC coach Karen Shelton said. “I couldn't be happier for Emma.”

Bozek's goal came 3:05 into overtime and preserved UNC's spotless record at Henry Stadium. The Tar Heels have won all six of their home games this fall, with just one remaining: the regular-season finale on Oct. 30, before which Bozek and her fellow seniors will be honored.

Friday night, however, past UNC graduates were the ones being saluted. Members of Carolina's 1995, 1996 and 1997 teams, all of which won both NCAA and ACC championships, are gathered in Chapel Hill this weekend for a 20-year reunion and were recognized at halftime of the game. It was important to the current Tar Heels that the alums have reason to celebrate. “We talked about that before the game, at halftime and before overtime – we wanted to make them proud,” said senior Lauren Moyer, who played a large role in making sure they were.

HEELS! 💙🐏😀👍 #champs #3peat #TarHeelFamily pic.twitter.com/O9K0TMyonN
— UNC Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) October 8, 2016

On a misty evening when rain threatened throughout, Virginia scored first. Lucy Hyams had the goal on a penalty corner in the 14th minute, assisted by Tara Vittese. (The two would also combine to score on a penalty corner in the 66th minute, this time with Hyams on the assist and Vittese earning the goal.)

The Cavaliers led through the rest of the period, but the Tar Heels drew their fifth penalty corner of the half as the seconds ticked down, and took it with no time remaining on the first-half clock. Moyer, the team's leader in goals, sent a hard shot past Virginia's Carrera Lucas to tie the game at 1-1 heading into the break. Sophomore Eva van't Hoog assisted on the score.

In the second half, Moyer came up big again with her 11th goal of the season, one more than in her previous three years combined. In the 62nd minute of play, Virginia saved the first Tar Heel shot but the rebound popped out to the senior and she shot from the left side to give UNC its first lead of the game, 2-1.

The advantage was short-lived, however, as Vittese and Hyams combined for their second goal less than four minutes later, with just under five minutes remaining in regulation. The Tar Heels drew three consecutive corners in the closing seconds of the period but couldn't convert and the game rolled into a 15-minute overtime period. In the seven-a-side format, Bozek's goal came on the first shot that either team managed. It was her third goal of the season and the 30th of her career.

UNC now hits the road for five consecutive away games, beginning on Oct. 15 at No. 8 Louisville. “We know we have a lot of tough teams ahead of us and we know we're coming to the end of our season,” Bozek said. “Now more than ever this is the time to push, the time to get gritty, the time to work even harder in practices so that everything comes together at the end of the season for us. That's our focus.”

No. 3 UNC 3, No. 10 Virginia 2, OT

Scoring: Virginia – Lucy Hyams (Tara Vittese), 13:49; UNC – Lauren Moyer (Eva van't Hoog), 35:00; UNC – Moyer, 61:23; Virginia – Vittese (Hyams), 65:09; UNC – Emma Bozek, 73:05

Shots: UNC 19 (7/11/1), UVa 16 (11/5/0)

Penalty Corners: UNC 14 (5/9/0), UVa 9 (5/4/0)

Goalkeeper saves: UNC 8 (Alex Halpin, 73:05, 8 saves, 2 goals allowed); UVa 7 (Carrera Lucas, 73:05, 7 saves, 3 goals allowed)

Defensive saves: UVa 1 (Nadine de Koning)

Records: UNC 11-2 (3-1 ACC), UVa 8-5 (2-2 ACC)