Field Hockey Reaches Final Four For 12th Year In A Row

Sunday, May 2

Chapel Hill

Noon

North Carolina

(17-1)

Stanford (NCAA Quarterfinal Round)

(11-3)

Stanford

North Carolina

Cassie Sumfest (left) and Erin Matson scored in Sunday's 2-0 win.

May 2, 2021 | Field Hockey

Box Score NCAA Bracket

By: UNC Athletic Communications

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The top-ranked North Carolina field hockey team earned a 2-0 win over Stanford Sunday in NCAA Tournament play to claim a spot in the sport's final four for the 12^th year in a row and the 25^th time in program history.

On their home turf at Karen Shelton Stadium, the Tar Heels (17-1) got goals from juniors Cassie Sumfest and Erin Matson in the win.

"First I'd like to congratulate Stanford," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "I thought they played their hearts out, they defended us so well. We put a lot of pressure on them and they stood tall – we have so much respect for them and their program.

"I liked the way we moved the ball. I thought we played with speed and pressed well. We're delighted to advance to the final four – we had to earn it today."

Iowa beat Northwestern in the second of two games at Shelton Stadium Sunday. The Tar Heels and Hawkeyes will meet in one NCAA semifinal on Friday, with another Atlantic Coast Conference-Big Ten matchup in the other game as Michigan and Louisville also advanced. The winners meet Sunday at 7 p.m. for the NCAA crown.

UNC is the two-time defending champion.

Stanford finished its season 11-3.

Sumfest's gamewinner came in the 23^rd minute of play, on the third of five UNC penalty corners. Paityn Wirth had the insert for UNC and Madison Orobono made the stick stop.

Final Four bound 👏 Highlights from the win over Stanford ⬇️#GoHeels | #NCAAFH pic.twitter.com/okcvZlNksb
— UNC Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) May 2, 2021

The Tar Heels took the 1-0 lead into halftime and then on into the fourth quarter before Matson's goal, which came with three minutes to play. After the ball bounced off Stanford keeper Hannah Santos's pads, Matson gathered the rebound and sent it into the far corner of the cage for a 2-0 Tar Heel lead.

UNC outshot Stanford 16-6 and led 5-1 on penalty corners. Santos finished with six saves while Tar Heel senior Amanda Hendry made four.

After the game, the Tar Heels huddled with the Stanford players, who are facing the planned elimination of their program due to budget cuts. "Field hockey is a small world – the girls grow up playing against each other, they all know each other," Shelton said. "It's a family, and this hits all of us hard.

"I have so much respect for the way Stanford competed and the way they've endured the pressures of this season. It was very difficult to push our emotions aside and play a game like that. I'm proud of our kids and I'm proud of their kids – they gave us everything they had. It took a good game for us to beat them."