Thursday, November 4
Syracuse, N.Y.
7:30 PM
North Carolina
(11-6)
3
vs
2
Wake Forest (ACC Quarterfinals)
(7-10)
1
2
3
4
5
F
Wake Forest
1
1
0
0
0
2
North Carolina
0
1
0
1
1
3
Cassie Sumfest's overtime goal gave UNC a 3-2 win over Wake Forest Thursday night.
Photo by: ACC
OT Win Puts Field Hockey In ACC Semis
November 4, 2021 | Field Hockey
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Senior Cassie Sumfest scored on a penalty corner in the 63rd minute of play Thursday night to earn the North Carolina field hockey team a 3-2 overtime win over Wake Forest and a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship semifinals. Third-seeded UNC will face host Syracuse, the No. 2 seed, Friday at 3:30 p.m. at the Orange's J.S. Coyne Stadium.
Senior Erin Matson scored the other two Carolina goals and assisted on the gamewinner as the Tar Heels improved to 11-6 on the season.
"Congratulations to Wake Forest," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "I thought it was a classic battle. Postseason is always great. They got a lead, we countered, they got the lead back ... it was just a fun game to be a part of. I'm proud of our Heels for coming from behind, not once but twice, and sealing it in."
Wake Forest jumped ahead quickly, with Maggie Dickman deflecting in a ball from Meike Lanckohr just 3:18 into the game. The sixth-seeded Demon Deacons held that lead for more than 22 minutes, deep into the second quarter, before senior forward Erin Matson tied the game. In the 26th minute, the ACC's all-time goals leader carried the ball into the circle and backhanded a shot to make it 1-1.
It took just 24 seconds for Wake Forest to answer, however, with Ashley Hart's unassisted goal putting the Demon Deacons ahead again.
Matson tied the game with just over 10 minutes remaining in regulation. She took a shot that was blocked at close range by Wake keeper Tori Glaister, then beat a defender to the rebound and fired again, with this one making it into the cage to even the game at 2-2.
With five seconds remaining in regulation, a red card was given to the UNC bench, meaning that Shelton had to leave the field and missed overtime. She also is required to sit out the semifinal game on Friday, when associate head coach Grant Fulton will take over the coaching duties.
In the first minute of overtime, Wake Forest drew a corner, just the team's second of the game, but Tar Heel senior Meredith Sholder made a defensive play on the ball to neutralize the threat.
Two minutes later, UNC drew a corner and Matson was fouled, giving the Tar Heels another opportunity. Their second corner of the period and ninth of the night proved to be the gamewinner. Senior Eva Smolenaars inserted the ball to Matson, who drew two defenders then passed back to Sumfest at the top of the circle. Sumfest smashed a shot past Glaister for her sixth goal of the season, equal to her season high as a Tar Heel.
"I knew we just had to get a shot on goal," Sumfest said. "Erin set me up great, and I knew my number one priority was just to get a shot on goal and find the backboard."
Find it she did, and the Tar Heels celebrated a 3-2 overtime win for the second game in a row, after winning by that score at Virginia in the final game of the regular season on Oct. 29. It marked the third extra-time game in a row for UNC, as the Tar Heels fell to Louisville 3-2 in overtime on Oct. 15 in the team's final home game of the regular season.
Thursday's games all were delayed 90 minutes by a dusting of snow that fell just as the first of the three quarterfinals games was about to start. UNC was originally scheduled to to play at 6 p.m. but the started at 7:42, and temperatures were in the 30s throughout the game.
"It was a long day," Shelton said. "I was worried the turf was getting icy, but it didn't seem to affect our kids, I thought we handled it well, but I thought Wake handled it well too. It was just a good ACC Tournament game an I'm thrilled we get the chance to play another game."
No. 10 UNC 3, No. 21 Wake Forest 2, OT
Scoring: WFU – Maggie Dickman (Meike Lanckohr), 3:18; UNC – Erin Matson, 25:52; WFU – Ashley Hart, 26:16; UNC – Matson, 49:41; UNC – Cassie Sumfest (Matson), 62:57
Shots: UNC 13 (1/2/5/4/1), WFU 3 (1/1/0/1/0)
Penalty corners: UNC 9 (1/0/5/1/2), WFU 2 (1/0/0/0/1)
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 0 (Abigail Taylor, 62:57, 2 goals allowed, 0 saves); WFU 5 (Tori Glaister, 62:57, 3 goals allowed, 5 saves)
Defensive saves: WFU 1 (Lee Ann Gordon)
Records: UNC 11-6, Wake Forest 7-10
Senior Erin Matson scored the other two Carolina goals and assisted on the gamewinner as the Tar Heels improved to 11-6 on the season.
"Congratulations to Wake Forest," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "I thought it was a classic battle. Postseason is always great. They got a lead, we countered, they got the lead back ... it was just a fun game to be a part of. I'm proud of our Heels for coming from behind, not once but twice, and sealing it in."
Wake Forest jumped ahead quickly, with Maggie Dickman deflecting in a ball from Meike Lanckohr just 3:18 into the game. The sixth-seeded Demon Deacons held that lead for more than 22 minutes, deep into the second quarter, before senior forward Erin Matson tied the game. In the 26th minute, the ACC's all-time goals leader carried the ball into the circle and backhanded a shot to make it 1-1.
It took just 24 seconds for Wake Forest to answer, however, with Ashley Hart's unassisted goal putting the Demon Deacons ahead again.
Matson tied the game with just over 10 minutes remaining in regulation. She took a shot that was blocked at close range by Wake keeper Tori Glaister, then beat a defender to the rebound and fired again, with this one making it into the cage to even the game at 2-2.
With five seconds remaining in regulation, a red card was given to the UNC bench, meaning that Shelton had to leave the field and missed overtime. She also is required to sit out the semifinal game on Friday, when associate head coach Grant Fulton will take over the coaching duties.
In the first minute of overtime, Wake Forest drew a corner, just the team's second of the game, but Tar Heel senior Meredith Sholder made a defensive play on the ball to neutralize the threat.
Two minutes later, UNC drew a corner and Matson was fouled, giving the Tar Heels another opportunity. Their second corner of the period and ninth of the night proved to be the gamewinner. Senior Eva Smolenaars inserted the ball to Matson, who drew two defenders then passed back to Sumfest at the top of the circle. Sumfest smashed a shot past Glaister for her sixth goal of the season, equal to her season high as a Tar Heel.
"I knew we just had to get a shot on goal," Sumfest said. "Erin set me up great, and I knew my number one priority was just to get a shot on goal and find the backboard."
Find it she did, and the Tar Heels celebrated a 3-2 overtime win for the second game in a row, after winning by that score at Virginia in the final game of the regular season on Oct. 29. It marked the third extra-time game in a row for UNC, as the Tar Heels fell to Louisville 3-2 in overtime on Oct. 15 in the team's final home game of the regular season.
Thursday's games all were delayed 90 minutes by a dusting of snow that fell just as the first of the three quarterfinals games was about to start. UNC was originally scheduled to to play at 6 p.m. but the started at 7:42, and temperatures were in the 30s throughout the game.
"It was a long day," Shelton said. "I was worried the turf was getting icy, but it didn't seem to affect our kids, I thought we handled it well, but I thought Wake handled it well too. It was just a good ACC Tournament game an I'm thrilled we get the chance to play another game."
No. 10 UNC 3, No. 21 Wake Forest 2, OT
Scoring: WFU – Maggie Dickman (Meike Lanckohr), 3:18; UNC – Erin Matson, 25:52; WFU – Ashley Hart, 26:16; UNC – Matson, 49:41; UNC – Cassie Sumfest (Matson), 62:57
Shots: UNC 13 (1/2/5/4/1), WFU 3 (1/1/0/1/0)
Penalty corners: UNC 9 (1/0/5/1/2), WFU 2 (1/0/0/0/1)
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 0 (Abigail Taylor, 62:57, 2 goals allowed, 0 saves); WFU 5 (Tori Glaister, 62:57, 3 goals allowed, 5 saves)
Defensive saves: WFU 1 (Lee Ann Gordon)
Records: UNC 11-6, Wake Forest 7-10
Team Stats
WAKE
NC
Goals
2
3
Shots
3
13
Shots on Goal
2
9
Saves
6
0
Corners
2
9
Offsides
0
0
Fouls
0
0
Scoring Plays
Maggie Dickman
Assisted By: Meike Lanckohr
deflected from top of circle
3:18
Erin Matson (22)
self goal from mid circle
25:52
Ashley Hart
reverse chip from mid circle
26:16
Erin Matson (23)
shot off the rebound
49:41
Cassie Sumfest (6)
Assisted By: Erin Matson
62:57
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
6
SOG
4
Goals
2
Assists
1
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Field Hockey
Forward
/ Field Hockey
Midfielder
/ Field HockeyMidfielder
/ Field Hockey
Goalkeeper
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