Tar Heels Finish Undefeated Regular Season With 3-0 Win at ODU

Sunday, October 28

Norfolk, Va.

12:00 PM

North Carolina

(17-0)

Old Dominion

(10-7)

North Carolina

Old Dominion

Sophomore Meredith Sholder scored for UNC in a 3-0 win at ODU.

Tar Heels Finish Undefeated Regular Season With 3-0 Win at ODU

October 28, 2018 | Field Hockey

Box Score ACC Championship Information

By: UNC Athletic Communications

NORFOLK, Va. – The top-ranked North Carolina field hockey team completed regular-season play Sunday afternoon with a 3-0 shutout at No. 25 Old Dominion. The Tar Heels improved to 17-0 this fall with the first undefeated regular season since 2007 and the third in school history. ODU fell to 10-7.

"We're delighted to win at Old Dominion and to get a shutout," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "I thought we left some opportunities out there but overall it was a good day. We were able to play a lot of people and I'm happy we were able to close out the regular season this way."

Tar Heel Ashley Hoffman scored the gamewinner on a penalty corner in the 12^th minute of play. Freshman Erin Matson and junior Feline Guenther assisted on the play.

The score sat at 1-0 well past halftime, with UNC finally scoring again in the 54^th minute on a goal from sophomore Meredith Sholder, who tapped in a ball from Matson at the far post. The Tar Heels scored again less than three minutes later, with junior Marissa Creatore making it 3-0 Carolina with her eighth goal of the year, which came on a long pass into the circle from sophomore Courtnie Williamson.

"We ran into a hot goalkeeper – Kealsie Robles played great – and the score stayed at 1-0 for a long time even though we were knocking on the door," Shelton said. "It was good for us to battle through that and go on for the 3-0 win."

UNC finished with 24 shots, 12 in each half, compared with four for ODu. The shutout was the Tar Heels' eighth of the fall.

With the third undefeated regular-season in program history (the previous ones were in 1995 and 2007, and UNC finished 24-0 both years), the Tar Heels now look ahead to postseason play. The Tar Heels host the 2018 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Nov. 1, 2 and 4 at Karen Shelton Stadium. As the top seed in the field, Carolina gets a first-round bye and will open play Friday at noon in the semifinals.

"We never set out to have an undefeated regular-season, but we do set out to win every game," Shelton said. "We're still growing and improving and the team is working hard. I'm proud of them."

No. 1 UNC 3, No. 25 Old Dominion 0
Scoring: UNC – Ashley Hoffman (Feline Guenther, Erin Matson), 11:52; UNC – Meredith Sholder (Matson), 53:38; UNC – Marissa Creatore (Courtnie Williamson
Shots: UNC 24 (12/12), ODU 4 (0/4)
Penalty corners: UNC 10 (6/4), ODU 3 (0/3)
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 2 (Amanda Hendry, 61:47, 0 goals allowed, 0 saves; Alex Halpin, 8:13, 0 goals allowed, 2 saves); ODU 11 (Kealsie Robles, 70:00, 3 goals allowed, 11 saves)
Defensive saves: ODU 1 (Rebecca Birch)

UNC starters: Amanda Hendry, Erin Matson, Catherine Hayden, Cassie Sumfest, Ashley Hoffman, Feline Guenther, Malin Evert, Morgan Goetz, Yentl Leemans, Eva van't Hoog, Marissa Creatore
UNC subs: Meredith Sholder, Hannah Griggs, Julia Herrington, Leila Evans, Abby Pitcairn, Ali Rushton, Eva Smolenaars, Courtnie Williamson, Riley Fulmer, Megan DuVernois, Ellen Payne, Alex Halpin