Matson Off To India, UNC Focused On Improvement While She's Gone

As her UNC field hockey teammates prepared for Friday's Atlantic Coast Conference game against Boston College, Tar Heel sophomore forward Erin Matson had a very different focus. After practicing with the team on Thursday afternoon, she left Chapel Hill before sunrise on Friday morning, bound for India and the U.S. National Team's Olympic Qualifier.

The U.S. will play India in a two-match series on Nov. 1 and 2 in Bhubaneswar, India. It's the last chance for the U.S. women to earn a spot in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics field, and Matson, a National Team veteran, is an important part of that effort. As a result, she'll miss the Tar Heels' last three games of the regular season: Friday against Boston College, Sunday against Old Dominion and Nov. 3 against Saint Joseph's, all ranked opponents that Carolina will host on its home turf at Karen Shelton Stadium.

Matson will rejoin the team in time for the ACC Tournament Nov. 7-10 in Newton, Mass.

Tar Heel coach Karen Shelton, an Olympian herself, has had numerous players miss time with UNC while representing the U.S. during the college season and she's seen the positives on each occasion. "Erin is going to gain really important experience and help our national team hopefully qualify for the Olympics," Shelton said. "That's bigger than what we're doing here. I really believe that and I'm proud of her. And while she's gone, somebody else is going to step up. We've been doing it all year, particularly the last couple of weeks with a few injuries, and the next person has stepped up and also gained valuable experience."

"I know all parties benefit from this," Matson said. "I'm super excited to be able to represent the USA and hopefully we can come out with a couple of wins as well."

From RDU, Matson flew to Chicago and then on to New Delhi before meeting the rest of the U.S. team in Bhubaneswar. She traveled a few days later than the rest of the group in order to miss as little class time as possible.

"All of my professors were great and very understanding and supportive," said Matson, who is majoring in media and journalism with a focus in public relations and advertising through UNC's Hussman School of Journalism and Media. "I'll be able to do work while I'm there and I'll make up a quiz when I get back."

While packing on Thursday, Matson said she felt like the enormity of the trip – her first to India – had not yet hit her. "Right now I'm more sad to leave everyone here," she said. "But I know once I get over there it will be 100 percent USA."

Matson is one of three college players on the team (the others are from Duke and Stanford), and one of five Tar Heels, joining alums Ashley Hoffman, Lauren Moyer, Caitlin Van Sickle and Julia Young on the 20-player roster.

"We're really going to miss Erin, but we're hoping to continue growing as a team while she's gone," said Marissa Creatore, a senior forward and one of two team captains for the Tar Heels. "We've been training with the 'next man up' mentality, so everyone is going to step up, play their part, and do their role. We're hoping to prepare for the postseason while she's gone so that when she comes back we're ready to roll.

"We'll be cheering for all five of our Tar Heels on the team and hoping they come back with victories."

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University of North Carolina Athletics

Matson Off To India, UNC Focused On Improvement While She's Gone

Players Mentioned

Marissa Creatore

Ashley Hoffman

Erin Matson

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