Carolina Earns Shutout Win At Iowa

Sunday, August 27

Iowa City, Iowa

3:00 PM

North Carolina

Iowa

Junior Ashley Hoffman scored the gamewinner on a penalty corner in the second half.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

August 27, 2017 | Field Hockey

Box Score

By: UNC Athletic Communications

IOWA CITY, Iowa –North Carolina scored three times in the second half and played solid defense for all 70 minutes to earn a 3-0 field hockey win over host Iowa Sunday afternoon at Grant Field in the final game of this year's ACC-Big Ten Challenge.

After falling 3-2 to No. 11 Michigan Saturday afternoon in the season opener, the top-ranked Tar Heels bounced back to improve to 1-1 overall. No. 17 Iowa fell to 0-2 overall, including a 3-2 loss to No. 15 Wake Forest on Saturday. In the first game of Sunday's doubleheader, Michigan beat Wake 5-4.

"It was a good game for us and I was pleased with the effort," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "Iowa played hard and tough – it was a good, hard-fought game. I thought our depth showed and we got better as the game went on. We moved the ball better than yesterday and we were smarter around the goal."

The first half was scoreless and balanced, with UNC getting off three shots and Iowa four. Carolina finally got on the board in the 54th minute of play, on the team's fifth penalty corner of the game. Junior Ashley Hoffman had the goal on a straight shot, assisted by senior Gab Major on the push-in and junior Eva van't Hoog on the stop.

The Tar Heels made it 2-0 with just under 10 minutes remaining in the game. On a fast break, Major got the ball from sophomore Catherine Hayden and launched a shot that bounced off the crossbar and into the cage for her first goal of the season.

Exactly three minutes later UNC scored again, on another penalty corner. This time it was junior Malin Evert on the shot, assisted by Major and van't Hoog.

Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Amanda Hendry made three saves, including one on a penalty stroke midway through the first half. "She gave us a huge boost with that save," Shelton said. "That was a momentum shift for us."

The Tar Heels finished with 12 shots, nine in the second half. They had eight penalty corners, six in the second half.

"The most important thing is that we improved from game 1 to game 2," Shelton said. "We learned some lessons. We were a little calmer and the younger players are gaining experience."

Next up for the Tar Heels is another road trip. On the second of three weekends in a row that they'll travel, they'll take on Princeton in New Jersey on Friday then face Penn in Philadelphia next Sunday (Sep. 3).

No. 1 UNC 3, No. 17 Iowa 0
Scoring: UNC – Ashley Hoffman (Gab Major, Eva van't Hoog), 53:28; UNC – Major (Catherine Hayden), 60:02; UNC – Malin Evert (Major, van't Hoog)
Shots: UNC 12 (3/9), Iowa 9 (4/5)
Penalty corners: UNC 8 (2/6), Iowa 2 (0/2)
Saves: UNC 3 (Amanda Hendry, 70:00, 3 saves, 0 goals allowed), Iowa 3 (Katie Jones, 3 saves, 3 goals allowed)
Records: UNC 1-1, Iowa 0-2

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, Kathryn Holland, Ali Rushton, Courtnie Williamson, Megan DuVernois