University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC To Host Top Field Hockey Competition This Weekend
September 22, 2016 | Field Hockey
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The North Carolina field hockey team will host the nation's two top-ranked teams this weekend, with No. 1 Syracuse visiting Francis E. Henry Stadium Friday for a 6 p.m. game and No. 2 Duke in on Sunday for a 1 p.m. game. Admission is free to both contests.
“We're always delighted to play at home but to have a weekend like this is really special,” UNC coach Karen Shelton said. “We love to play big-time hockey. The kids train as hard as they do for these kinds of games and opportunities. To be able to host is just a cherry on the top.
“And these weekends are great preparation for the postseason. You want to know where you need to spend your time practicing and there's no better way to have your weaknesses illustrated than playing two of the best teams in the country.”
Including the fifth-ranked Tar Heels (6-2 overall, 1-1 ACC), three of last year's final four teams will be in action at Henry this weekend. Both Syracuse (7-0, 2-0 ACC) and Duke (8-0, 2-0) come into the weekend undefeated.
Friday's game is a rematch of both the ACC Championship game and NCAA Championship game from last season. The Tar Heels won the first 2-1 in overtime to claim their 19th conference title, and the Orange won the second, 4-2 in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Nov. 22, 2015, for the 2015 NCAA title.
The first 250 fans in attendance will receive a UNC Field Hockey rally towel. Carolina won the last matchup with Syracuse in Chapel Hill, 3-0 on Sept. 12, 2014.
Sunday's game is the first of two regular-season meetings this fall between the Tar Heels and Blue Devils. The two also will meet in Durham on Oct. 22 for this year's designated ACC matchup. Sunday's game in Chapel Hill will count as a nonconference contest.
Carolina and Duke last met in the 2015 NCAA semifinal game, and the Tar Heels won 2-0 to advance to face Syracuse in the final. UNC also won last year's regular-season matchup, 2-1 in Chapel Hill on Oct. 16, 2015.
