Goal By DuVernois Proves Enough For Win Over No. 19 ODU

Sunday, October 27

Chapel Hill

1:00 PM

North Carolina

(16-0)

Old Dominion

(9-6)

Old Dominion

North Carolina

Feline Guenther and the Tar Heels beat ODU 1-0 on Sunday

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

October 27, 2019 | Field Hockey

Box Score Watch Highlights

By: UNC Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Senior Megan DuVernois scored the gamewinner on a pass from sophomore Hannah Griggs in the 41^st minute of play and the North Carolina field hockey team held onto that slim advantage to beat No. 19 Old Dominion 1-0 Sunday afternoon at Karen Shelton Stadium. Despite being held to their lowest scoring total in more than a year, the top-ranked Tar Heels stayed undefeated, improving to 16-0 this fall. ODU fell to 9-6.

"Old Dominion gave us a great game today," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "I thought our team passed the ball and moved the ball really well – we did kind of what we wanted to do, but we spent a little too much of the possession time in our backfield.

"Credit to ODU's defense – I thought they pressed us well and they were able to put a lot of pressure on us. I really thought they had a good plan and they executed it. Statistically it was pretty darned close, so I'm thrilled with the win and for Alex Halpin to get a shutout."

Halpin, a senior goalkeeper, made her second start of the weekend in goal, replacing UNC's usual starter, junior Amanda Hendry, who sat out under concussion protocol. She made six saves in the win, five of them in the first half when she helped hold the Monarchs without a goal as her own team struggled to score.

It's the second game in a row that UNC has not scored in the first half. On Friday against Boston College, it took until the fourth quarter for the Tar Heels to get on the board in a game they went on to win 3-2. Sunday, DuVernois' goal came with just under five minutes to play in the third quarter after senior Yentl Leemans passed the ball to Griggs on the right baseline. DuVernois got between Griggs and the ODU keeper at the near post and was able to get her stick on Griggs' cross to tip it in for a lead that would stand. DuVernois' goal was her sixth of the season and second of the weekend.

The Tar Heels drew eight corners, including four in the third period, but couldn't get a goal out of any of them. ODU took four corners, two of them in the fourth quarter. For the game UNC led 11-10 in shots, with seven of them coming in the third quarter. At halftime ODU led 6-4 in shots, and the Monarchs managed four (to UNC's zero) in the fourth quarter in an effort to get the tying goal.

Old Dominion was awarded a penalty stroke in the second quarter, but the shot sailed wide of the cage.

The last time UNC scored fewer than two goals was in a 1-0 win over Princeton on Aug. 31, 2018, in Philadephia. DuVernios had the gamewinner in that one, too.

The shutout was UNC's sixth of the season and was the second solo shutout of Halpin's career. The first also came against ODU, in a 2-0 win in Norfolk, Va., on Oct. 29, 2016.

Sunday's game was UNC's second without leading scorer Erin Matson, who is in India with the U.S. National Team for its Olympic Qualifier Nov. 1 and 2. The Tar Heels have one more game without her before she's back in time for the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Nov. 7-10.

"What has to happen is that people have to step up, and they've been doing that," Shelton said. "We got two wins this weekend and I think people would have doubted we might be able to do that. So I'm proud of the team and I'm proud of the defense and the offense as well."

Carolina will wrap up the regular season next Sunday (Nov. 3), welcoming Saint Joseph's to Shelton Stadium for a 1 p.m. game. The Tar Heels will honor eight seniors in pregame Senior Day ceremonies.

No.1 UNC 1, No. 19 Old Dominion
Scoring: UNC – Megan DuVernois (Hannah Griggs), 40:25
Shots: UNC 11 (1/3/7/0), ODU 10 (3/3/0/4)
Penalty corners: UNC 8 (1/2/4/1), ODU 4 (1/1/0/2)
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 6 (Alex Halpin, 60:00 0 goals allowed, 6 saves), ODU 6 (Cam MacGillivray, 60:00, 1 goal allowed, 6 saves)
Defensive saves: ODU 1 (Nicole Fredricks)
Records: UNC 16-0 (6-0 ACC), ODU 9-6 (5-1 Big East)

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