Carolina Earns Spot In Field Hockey Final Four

Sunday, November 12

Charlottesville, Va.

2:00 PM

North Carolina

(18-4)

Princeton (NCAA 2nd Round)

(12-7)

Princeton

North Carolina

Tar Heels race to celebrate with their teammates after Sunday's win.

November 12, 2017 | Field Hockey

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It's UNC's ninth consecutive trip and 22nd in school history

By: UNC Athletic Communications

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The North Carolina field hockey team is headed to the NCAA final four for the ninth year in a row and the 22nd time in program history after beating No. 11 Princeton Sunday 3-2. On a chilly, overcast afternoon at the University of Virginia's Turf Field, the Tar Heels held the lead last but couldn't celebrate until well after the clock had gone to zero in the NCAA Tournament second round game.

The NCAA semifinals are set for Friday in Louisville, Ky., where the No. 6 Tar Heels claimed the Atlantic Coast Conference crown just a week ago. Fourth-seeded UNC (18-4) will face top-seeded Connecticut in the first semifinal at 2 p.m., while Maryland and third-seeded Michigan face off in the other at 4:45. The winners meet next Sunday (Nov. 19) for the national championship.

"I want to congratulate Princeton – they played an awesome game," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "We knew they were a team that likes to stick around. I thought we played pretty well in the first half and really dominated play and it was still 1-1 at halftime. They kept it close – every time we punched, they counterpunched. They made us earn every ball we handled. It was a fantastic game and I just couldn't be happier that we're going back to Louisville."

UNC advanced to face Princeton with a 4-0 win over Saint Joseph's in the first round on Saturday. The shutout was the Tar Heels' third in a row, and they played another 35 minutes Sunday before giving up a goal. In the 19th minute of play, UNC took the lead on its second corner of the day when junior Eva van't Hoog deflected in a ball from freshman Meredith Sholder for a 1-0 advantage that held up through the rest of the half. Princeton's first score came on a penalty corner the Tigers took with no time remaining in the period. MaryKate Neff's penalty corner goal, on a grounder that got just inside the left post, tied the game at 1-1.

Carolina again took the lead just over three minutes into the second period. In the 39th minute of play, freshman Eva Smolenaars carried the ball to the top of the circle and got off her only shot of the game. It deflected off a defender's stick mid-circle and bounced into the upper right of the cage to give UNC a 2-1 lead.

Princeton scored again on its second penalty corner of the afternoon, in the 49th minute. Maddie Bacskai's deflection on the right side sent the ball past UNC keeper Amanda Hendry into the upper left of the cage.

Again, the Tar Heels responded and in the 53rd minute of play, sophomore Megan DuVernois scored the gamewinner, on a pass from sophomore Marissa Creatore. Creatore carried the ball into the circle and along the right baseline then sent a short pass to DuVernois, who flipped it from the right side of the cage past a Princeton defender and keeper Grace Baylis and in for the lead.

UNC's 3-2 lead never felt safe, however and the Tigers continued to threaten right up until the end, when they drew three consecutive penalty corners and took the last two with no time remaining on the clock. On the final one, when the clock had read 00:00 for several minutes, Princeton got off two shots, but the Tar Heel defenders blocked both. Van't Hoog had the second block then chased the ball down the right baseline and tapped it out of bounds to end the game and set off the Tar Heel celebration.

UNC is the fourth seed in the NCAA field and the only seeded team that didn't play at home for first and second rounds. The Tar Heels are without a home stadium this fall as a new facility is under construction. They've practiced and played at Duke's field in Durham this fall. With Duke hosting first and second round games this weekend, the Tar Heels hit the road to Charlottesville, where Virginia had received the hosting nod. Princeton beat the Cavaliers in double overtime on Saturday to advance.

"I couldn't be prouder of this team," Shelton said. "They've worked hard all season and have come light years. At the beginning of the season, if you'd asked anyone on the coaching staff if we were a final four team … we weren't sure we were going to make the tournament. It's been fun to see them progress as the season has gone on, offensively and defensively, and under these extreme conditions of having to travel and not having a home field.

"I like to say attitude is everything and with this group they've had tremendous attitudes all year long and have just rolled with the punches no matter what it's been. Goal up, goal down, they've really fought hard all season long. They've had humility and they've had a great work ethic, and they've been rewarded with a trip to the final four."

No. 6 UNC 3, No. 11 Princeton 2
Scoring: UNC – Eva van't Hoog (Meredith Sholder), 18:23; PU – MaryKate Neff (Clara Roth), 35:00; UNC – Eva Smolenaars, 38:20; PU – Maddi Bacskai (Ryan McCarthy), 48:20; UNC – Megan DuVernois (Marissa Creatore), 52:20
Shots: UNC 8 (5/3), Princeton 10 (4/6)
Penalty corners: UNC 2 (2/0), Princeton 6 (1/5)
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 1 (Amanda Hendry, 70:00, 1 save, 2 goals allowed); Princeton 3 (Grace Baylis, 70:00, 3 saves, 3 goals allowed)
Records: UNC 18-4, Princeton 12-7

UNC starters: Amanda Hendry, Eef Andriessen, Cassie Sumfest, Ashley Hoffman, Feline Guenther, Malin Evert, Morgan Goetz, Eva Smolenaars, Eva van't Hoog, Gab Major, Marissa Creatore
UNC subs: Meredith Sholder, Bryn Boylan, Catherine Hayden, Courtnie Williamson, Megan DuVernois