Win At UConn Boosts Field Hockey To 11-0

Sunday, October 9

Storrs, Conn.

1 p.m.

North Carolina

Connecticut

Erin Matson scored UNC's first two goals in Sunday's 3-0 win at UConn.

Photo by: Trent Weaver

October 9, 2022 | Field Hockey

Box Score

STORRS, Conn. – The North Carolina field hockey team earned its sixth shutout of the season and improved to 11-0 overall with a 3-0 victory at No. 12 Connecticut Sunday afternoon.

Playing at the Huskies' Sherman Sports Complex, which will be the site of next months' NCAA Championship, the top-ranked Tar Heels got a pair of goals from senior Erin Matson to go up 2-0 and then a late score from freshman Ryleigh Heck to seal the win.

After playing six of its past seven games on the road, UNC now returns home for three in a row, beginning on Friday against Syracuse.

A big game for Erin Matson and huge saves by both goalies helped the Tar Heels' record stay perfect 😎 Highlights from today's road win ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/5rKoGxmEMs — UNC Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) October 9, 2022

Matson's first goal came in the sixth minute of play. Senior Meredith Sholder sent the ball into the circle to Matson, who dribbled out toward the arc and then sent a rocket into the corner of the cage and past a diving Cheyenne Sprecher.

Sprecher went onto a standout day, denying the Tar Heels 12 times as she became the Huskies' all-time saves leader.

Matson's second goal came in the 48^th minute on a penalty stroke. For the second game in a row she got the call and delivered, sending her shot into the lower right for a 2-0 Tar Heel lead.
The goal, the 125^th of Matson's career, pushed her points total to 306, equal to the Atlantic Coast Conference's all-time record.

In the 51^st minute, Sprecher saved a shot by Ashley Sessa but Heck got her stick on the rebound and quickly deposited it in the cage for a 3-0 lead.

"I thought we played particularly well in first and fourth quarters," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "At times I loved how we shared the ball, how we were moving, how we were supporting one another. We looked good at times. We're not as consistent as we need to be but at times we're moving the ball really well."

As they have all season, sophomore Abigail Taylor and freshman Kylie Walbert split time in goal, with Taylor making three saves in the first half and Walbert two in the second to earn the Tar Heels' sixth shutout.

After being outshot by Boston College on Friday, Carolina led 23-8 in shots on Sunday against the Huskies, including 5-1 in the first quarter and 11-2 after halftime.

"We played two really good opponents on their home fields this weekend, so that's always a challenge," Shelton said. "Whenever we can get a win in the ACC it's a positive, and then to play a really strong UConn team and win on their home field, that's an achievement for our group.

"As we head back home, it doesn't get any easier for us – we've got three very tough games coming up and we've got our work cut out for us."

No. 1 UNC 3, No. 12 UConn 0
Scoring: UNC – Erin Matson, 5:41; UNC – Matson (penalty stroke), 47:35; UNC – Ryleigh Heck, 50:26
Shots: UNC 23 (5/7/6/5), UConn 8 (1/5/1/1)
Penalty corners: UNC 6 (1/0/3/2), UConn 3 (0/3/0/0)
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 5 (Abigail Taylor, 30:00, 3 saves, 0 goals allowed; Kylie Walbert, 30:00, 2 saves, 0 goals allowed), UConn 12 (Cheyenne Sprecher, 60:00, 12 saves, 3 goals allowed)
Records: UNC 11-0, UConn 8-4