By R.L. Bynum
Two Carolina women’s teams that have won multiple national championships — field hockey and soccer — fell Tuesday from No. 1 to No. 3, and the Tar Heels slipped in the men’s soccer poll.
Coach Erin Matson’s field hockey team (9–2, 3–0 ACC) dropped from the top rank after a 2–1 overtime home loss Sunday to Liberty (12–1), which jumped from No. 10 to No. 7 after the victory.
Taking over the top spot in the NFHCA Top 20 is Northwestern (12–1), which lost to the Tar Heels 2–1 in last season’s national title game. Duke (12–1, 4–0) has won 10 in a row since losing to the Wildcats and moved up two spots to No. 2.
The Tar Heels’ only other loss was a 3–2 overtime setback on Aug. 27 to Iowa (10–2), which fell three spots to No. 6.
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Coach Anson Dorrance’s women’s soccer team (9–0–5, 4–0–2), one of eight remaining undefeated Division I women’s soccer teams, dropped from No. 1 to No. 3 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 after a 1–1 draw Sunday at Duke (5–4–3, 1–2–3). The Blue Devils fell one spot to No. 23 after the match extended the Blue Devils’ winless streak to five.
Coach Carlos Somoano’s men’s soccer team (6–1–4, 1–1–3) fell one spot to No. 14 after a 1–0 home loss Friday to reigning NCAA champion Syracuse (6–2–3, 2–1–2), which jumped eight spots to No. 10. The Tar Heels beat Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday night 3–0.
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics Communications
