Heels Handle Hoos In Top-Five Win

Friday, October 10

Charlottesville, VA

5 PM

North Carolina

(12-1, 5-1)

Virginia

(9-2, 5-2)

North Carolina

Virginia

Photo by: William Soul?

October 10, 2025 | Field Hockey

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A fourth-quarter goal from Charly Bruder proved to be the difference as No. 3 North Carolina field hockey took home a 1-0 upset win over No. 2 Virginia on Friday afternoon.

The Tar Heels (11-1, 4-1 ACC) handed the Cavaliers their first loss of the season after a defensive battle was broken up by Bruder's strike. Carolina has 14 of the last 15 in the series.

It was also the first time since the final week of the 2023 regular season that UNC played a game as the lower ranked team. It beat Duke that day and came away victorious today.

The story of the game was the incredible defense played on both sides. Grace Pottebaum and Hope Haynes marshaled the Tar Heel back line excellently from start to finish to help the goalkeeping tandem of Merritt Skubisz and Katie Wimmer maintain their third shutout of the season.

Carolina now has five wins over top-15 opponents in 2025, the most of anyone in the country. Two of them have been shutouts, tonight included alongside the season opener against No. 7 Michigan.

As both teams struggled to produce a clear-cut chance, it was often Ryleigh Heck popping up for shots for the Tar Heels. It was Heck who found herself with the ball at the top of the circle deep into the fourth quarter where she put a bouncing ball through the Cavalier defense to a waiting Bruder.

The junior from Malvern, Pa., who led the nation in scoring in 2024, quickly settled the pass and slammed it home to put UNC in the lead for good. Since returning from an offseason injury, Bruder has 10 goals in 10 games and just keeps finding ways to help her team.

The Tar Heels will wrap up the weekend back in Karen Shelton Stadium on Sunday at 12 p.m. ET against No. 19 Louisville. Coverage for the ranked conference clash will be on ACC Network.