Field Hockey Closes California Trip With 6-0 Win At Stanford

Sunday, September 11

Stanford, Calif.

4 p.m.

North Carolina

Stanford

Freshman Ashley Sessa scored one of the six Tar Heel goals Sunday as UNC improved to 6-0 at Stanford.

Photo by: John Lozano/Stanford

September 11, 2022 | Field Hockey

Box Score

STANFORD, Calif. – The North Carolina field hockey team wrapped up its West Coast trip Sunday without surrendering a goal, beating Stanford 6-0 to improve to 6-0 on the season.

The Tar Heels kicked off their first California trip since 1989 with a 7-0 win at Cal on Friday. They now have three shutouts in a row and have outscored their last three opponents 17-0.

"It's been an amazing trip," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "I'm pleased for our Tar Heels to get two shutouts and score a lot of goals. Everyone had the chance to contribute and we've had a great time seeing the sights in San Francisco.

"When you travel to new places you don't know what you're facing, but our kids played hard and played together. The thing I'm most pleased about is that we're making progress with each game – we continue to grow and this team is eager to learn."

Next up for No. 2 UNC is the start of Atlantic Coast Conference play. Carolina travels to face No. 5 Louisville on Friday in what will be a battle between undefeated top-five teams.

Sunday at Stanford's Varsity Turf, the game unfolded much like the game on Friday in Berkeley. Once again, neither team scored in the first quarter, but the Tar Heels did so quickly in the second.

Just 58 seconds into the period, freshman Ryleigh Heck got UNC on the board with her fourth goal of the season, gathering a ball from senior Erin Matson and sending it into the top of the cage.

Two minutes later, senior Paityn Wirth picked up a loose ball in the middle of the circle with her back to the goal and sent a no-look pass to the post, where Katie Dixon dived to knock it in for her first goal of the season and a 2-0 lead.

UNC's next goal came on the first penalty corner of the game. Stanford keeper Daisy Ford saved the first two Tar Heel shots, but sophomore Kennedy Cliggett got the rebound after the second and put back a quick shot for the score, her second of the season.

The Tar Heels added one more before halftime, on another penalty corner. After a fake by Matson, the ball went to freshman Sietske Brüning, who passed it to the right side. Wirth sent it back across the cage where the Stanford keeper played it before Ashley Sessa tapped it in for the score.

Five minutes into the third quarter, Carolina was awarded a penalty stroke after Wirth was fouled in the circle. Sophomore Lisa Slinkert got the call on UNC's first stroke of the season and sent her shot into the left side of the cage for a 5-0 lead.

The Tar Heels' final goal of the day came in the 42^nd minute of play. Dixon's initial shot hit the post but Heck grabbed the rebound before Stanford keeper Kendall Dowd could get to it and put it back for a 6-0 lead and her first multi-goal game as a Tar Heel.

UNC held a 17-2 edge in shots with 12 of those on-goal. The Tar Heels didn't give up a corner while drawing four and scoring on two of them.

Carolina keepers Kylie Walbert and Abigail Taylor continued to share time in goal, with Walbert playing the first 30 minutes, when the Cardinal didn't get off a shot, and Taylor playing the second half, when she saved the only Cardinal shot on goal.

The trip was success off the turf as well, with the Tar Heels checking out the Golden Gate Bridge and playing tourist in San Francisco on Saturday, in between games. Carolina also got the chance to compete in front of Bay Area alums – including Harris Barton, who played football at UNC and went on to a Pro Bowl career with the San Francisco 49ers – and young players.

"It was great to see all the young kids who came out this weekend to watch us play and get autographs and talk with the team – that's great for the growth of our game," Shelton said. "This trip was overdue for us – we really wanted to come out and support the California teams – and it won't be so long before we're out here again."

No. 2 UNC 6, Stanford 0
Scoring: UNC – Ryleigh Heck (Matson), 15:58; UNC – Katie Dixon (Paityn Wirth), 18:04; UNC – Kennedy Cliggett, 21:00; UNC – Ashley Sessa, 24:09: UNC – Lisa Slinkert (penalty stroke), 35:03; UNC – Heck, 41:42
Shots: UNC 17 (3/9/5/0), Stanford 2 (0/0/2/0)
Penalty corners: UNC 4 (0/2/1/1), Stanford 0
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 1 (Kylie Walbert, 30:00, 0 goals allowed, 0 saves; Abigail Taylor, 30:00, 0 goals allowed, 1 save); Stanford 5 (Daisy Ford, 30:00, 4 goals allowed, 4 saves; Kendall Dowd, 30:00, 2 goals allowed, 1 save)
Records: UNC 6-0, Stanford 2-3