Tar Heels Wrap Up Road Weekend With Win At Penn

Sunday, September 3

Philadelphia, Pa.

12:00 PM

North Carolina

(3-1)

Penn

(0-2)

North Carolina

Penn

Megan DuVernois scored UNC's third goal Sunday at Penn.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

September 3, 2017 | Field Hockey

Box Score

By: UNC Athletic Communications

PHILADELPHIA – North Carolina earned its third road win in a row Sunday, scoring three first-half goals on the way to a 3-1 win at Penn. Playing at the Quakers' Ellen Vagelos Field, with many Tar Heel fans in the stands and downtown Philadelphia as a backdrop, top-ranked Carolina improved to 3-1 on the year. Penn fell to 0-2.

"This was a big travel weekend for us and we're pleased to be headed back to Chapel Hill with two wins," UNC coach Karen Shelton said as the Tar Heels stared the bus ride home Sunday afternoon.

UNC opened the weekend with a 2-0 victory at No. 8 Princeton on Friday then traveled to Philadelphia to play at Penn Sunday for the second year in a row. After a flurry of early opportunities, Carolina got on the board in the 19th minute of play when junior Eva van't Hoog sent a ball through the circle from the left side, and sophomore Marissa Creatore directed it to freshman Meredith Sholder, who tipped it in from the far post.

Just 21 seconds later, UNC scored again. Sophomore Feline Guenther carried the ball into the circle and passed from the top of the arc to Creatore, who got a shot past a Penn defender and goalkeeper Liz Mata to make the score 2-0.

UNC's third goal came in the 32nd minute, from sophomore Megan DuVernois. Junior Malin Evert sent a pass to Creatore at the top of the circle, and Creatore found DuVernois on the right side. DuVernois' first shot went off the right post, but she gathered the rebound and shot again for a 3-0 Tar Heel lead.

That was all the scoring for UNC, which had 16 shots in the game but just three in the second half. "I was a little disappointed with the second half," Shelton said. "We didn't play as well, and credit to Penn for that. They came out and played with a lot of energy and they were able to put some pressure on us at the end."

Penn's goal came on a penalty corner in the 56th minute. Rachel Huang had the score, assisted by Alexa Hoover and Paige Meily.

Mata, the Penn keeper, made eight saves, including one on a Tar Heel penalty stroke in the second half. She left the game with six minutes to play as Penn went with an extra field player to try to close the two-goal deficit.

Penn had four shots, all in the second half. The Tar Heels had 12 corners, six in each half, and the Quakers had four on the day, three of them in the second half.
"I liked our intensity in the first half," Shelton said. "We moved the ball well at times. We're still growing as a team. We didn't handle certain situations well, but this team is really trying hard. We didn't play a full game today, but I love their energy and excitement."

Next up for UNC is the Atlantic Coast Conference opener on Friday at Wake Forest. The Tar Heels played in Winston-Salem, N.C., at Kentner Stadium at 6 p.m. On Sept. 10 they travel to Boone, N.C., to face Appalachian State at 2 p.m.

No. 1 UNC 3, Penn 1
Scoring: UNC – Meredith Sholder (Marissa Creatore), 18:11; UNC – Creatore (Feline Guenther, 18:32; UNC – Megan DuVernois, 31:49
Shots: UNC 16 (13/3), Penn 4 (0/4
Penalty Corners: UNC 12 (6/6), Penn 4 (1/3)
Goalkeeper Saves: UNC 1 (Amanda Hendry, 70:00, 1 save, 1 goal allowed); Penn 8 (Liz Mata, 64:02, 8 saves, 3 goals allowed; Team, 5:58, 0 saves, 0 goals allowed)
Records: UNC 3-1, Penn 0-2

UNC starters: Amanda Hendry (GK), Meredith Sholder, Cassie Sumfest, Ashley Hoffman, Feline Guenther, Malin Evert, Morgan Goetz, Eva Smolenaars, Eva van't Hoog, Gab Major, Marissa Creatore
UNC substitutes: Leila Evans, Bryn Boylan, Catherine Hayden, Eef Andriessen, Kathryn Holland, Ali Rushton, Courtnie Williamson, Megan DuVernois, Ellen Payne