Carolina Clinches ACC Regular-Season Crown With Comeback Win

Friday, October 25

Chapel Hill

5:00 PM

North Carolina

(15-0 (6-0))

Boston College

(10-6 (3-1))

Boston College

North Carolina

Yentl Leemans celebrates the gamewinning goal against the Eagles.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

October 25, 2019 | Field Hockey

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By: UNC Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The top-ranked North Carolina field hockey team scored three times in the fourth quarter Friday to beat No. 13 Boston College 3-2 and finish Atlantic Coast Conference play undefeated for the second year in a row. The 6-0 mark in conference play earned UNC the ACC regular-season title and the top seed in the 2019 ACC Tournament, set for Nov. 7, 8 and 10 in Newton, Mass.

UNC improved to 15-0 overall (6-0 ACC) with the win, while Boston College fell to 10-5 (3-2 ACC).

"I'm incredibly proud of the Tar Heels for coming away with a victory tonight," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "To earn the top seed in the ACC Tournament was huge because you get a bye, so that gives you a day of rest while the other teams are playing. We really wanted this one badly.

"I have to shout-out Boston College – I think they are so good and so well-coached. They took away our bread and butter, the stuff we like to do. They scouted us and coached their kids to take that away and it caused problems for us. So I'm proud of our team for overcoming that."

Tar Heel forward Erin Matson, the nation's leading scorer, left Chapel Hill Friday morning for India, where she will play for the U.S. National Team in a two-game Olympic Qualifier on Nov. 1 and 2. In her absence, sophomore Riley Fulmer made her first career start, and she was the one who finally got the Tar Heels on the board after three scoreless quarters.

Only once this season had the Tar Heels failed to score in the first half, but after Friday it's twice. UNC had just three shots before the break, while BC had five. Carolina picked that up in the third quarter, with five shots and four consecutive penalty corners, but still couldn't break through for a goal. The Eagles could, however, with freshman Charlotte Von Huelsen getting a shot from the top of the circle past Tar Heel goalkeeper Alex Halpin in the 43rd minute of play to go up 1-0.

BC took that lead into the fourth quarter, when Fulmer tied the game in the 48th minute of play with her fifth goal of the season. Senior Feline Guenther drove the baseline and sent the ball across the cage, where it bounced off the BC keeper. Fulmer got her stick on the loose ball to put it in and tie game at 1-1.

Three minutes later, as UNC looked for the go-ahead goal, senior forward Catherine Hayden was fouled in the circle and the Tar Heels were awarded a penalty stroke. Senior midfielder Megan DuVernois sent her shot into the bottom right corner of the cage to improve to 3-for-3 this season in strokes and give Carolina its first lead of the game.

The Tar Heels held the 2-1 advantage for just under five minutes before BC tied the game again. Elizabeth Warner deflected in a ball from Margo Carlin to even the score at 2-2 with 4:34 to play.
Two minutes later, the Tar Heels drew their seventh penalty corner, six of which came after halftime. Senior Yentl Leemans had been asking for a sub before the corner was awarded, but instead ended up staying in and scoring the gamewinner on a give-and-go pass from redshirt freshman Romea Riccardo. Leemans threaded her shot through the BC defense and into the cage for a 3-2 UNC lead with 2:32 remaining on the clock. BC pulled keeper Sarah Dwyer to gain an extra field player in the final minutes but the Tar Heels were able to hold on for the win.

Halpin, a senior, made three saves in her first start of the season. "I'm happy for Alex to get the win," Shelton said. She played all 60 minutes as third-year starter Amanda Hendry sat out under concussion protocol after taking a knee to the head in the Liberty game last Sunday.

With the win, UNC finished conference play undefeated for the second year in a row and the 16th time overall. It's the first time any team has gone undefeated in ACC field hockey play in back-to-back years since the league expanded to seven teams in 2013.

Next up for the Tar Heels is another home game, the third in a four-game homestand, on Sunday against No. 19 Old Dominion. UNC closes the regular season on Nov. 3, hosting No. 11 Saint Joseph's for Senior Day.

No.1 UNC 3, No. 13 Boston College 2
Scoring: BC – Charlotte Von Huelsen, 42:44; UNC – Riley Fulmer, 47:53; UNC – Megan DuVernois (penalty stroke), 50:55; BC – Elizabeth Warner (Margo Carlin), 55:26; UNC – Yentl Leemans (Romea Riccardo), 57:28
Shots: UNC 13 (2/1/5/5), BC 10 (4/1/3/2)
Penalty corners: UNC 7 (1/0/4/2), BC 4 (3/0/0/1)
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 3 (Alex Halpin, 60:00 2 goals allowed, 3 saves), BC 4 (Sarah Dwyer, 58:22, 3 goals allowed, 4 saves; Team, 1:38, 0 goals allowed, 0 saves)
Records: UNC 15-0 (6-0 ACC), BC 10-6 (3-2 ACC)

UNC starters: Alex Halpin, Madison Orobono, Catherine Hayden, Romea Riccardo, Abby Pitcairn, Yentl Leemans, Eva Smolenaars, Courtnie Williamson, Riley Fulmer, Megan DuVernois, Marissa Creatore
UNC subs: Hannah Griggs, Bryn Boylan, Karlijn Goes, Feline Guenther