By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — The route here may not have been familiar to a Carolina field hockey program with a rich history, but expectations didn’t change as the postseason began.
The No. 1 seed in the ACC tournament for the fifth consecutive season, the No. 10-ranked Tar Heels led 34 seconds in and rolled. Five players scored in a 6–0 first-round victory over Stanford at Karen Shelton Stadium. It was the largest shutout in the event since 1991 and UNC’s highest-scoring game in the tournament since 2018.
Carolina plays in the first semifinal at 1 p.m. Wednesday against No. 4-seed and No. 13-ranked Syracuse (11–6), which beat No. 5-seed Louisville 4–3 in the second quarterfinal. There were upsets in the final two quarterfinals, with No. 6 seed and No. 19-ranked Virginia beating No. 2 seed and No. 7-ranked Wake Forest 1–0 in overtime and No. 7 seed Boston College knocking off No. 3 seed and No. 6-ranked Duke 2–1.
Coach Erin Matson said the mindset has held steady all season, even as the path to this point looked different.
“I think our expectations honestly haven’t wavered since the start of the year. It’s just looked differently and taken longer,” said Matson, who did her typical pacing on the sidelines before the game. She said the staff and players leaned into the challenge by asking what the strengths of this group were. “Just because it’s different doesn’t mean that’s a bad thing.”
In the 11th game since sensational fifth-year forward Ryleigh Heck gained eligibility, UNC (12–6) looks like a team with Final Four potential after losing six regular-season games for the first time since 2021 and third time since 1981.
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By halftime, she already had her fourth brace, the first coming in her season debut, an 8–1 win Sept. 25 at Stanford (10–8).
Heck, who has 13 goals and 27 points, said she has relished being back on the field with her teammates. “Just coming back on the field, it’s been great. The girls have been so supportive.”
Senior back Hope Haynes also had a big game with a goal and two assists.
Sophomore forward Reese Anetsberger threaded a shot from the left corner through the legs of Stanford’s Jenny O’Grady to senior forward Charly Bruder 34 seconds in. Bruder turned and fired a forehand rocket past the Cardinal back Claire Nockolds and into the cage for a quick lead.
Matson said the goal reflected how the Tar Heels want to play.
“Simple, literally nothing flashy to that play, just passing, receiving, and shot on cage and burying it right away, and it definitely set the tone for the game,” Matson said
In the 18th minute, Haynes made a terrific backhanded crossing pass from the right corner to Heck, who gathered it in front of the net and buried a backhander.
Haynes said the play grew out of what the Tar Heels have emphasized in practice.
“I’m always going to try and get Ryleigh the ball because she can make some magic happen,” Haynes said.
Heck (above photo) said the pass was exactly what the team has worked on.
“Hope just sent the ball, and it was a great ball,” Heck said. “Erin always says be ready low in the circle, and luckily I was.”
Heck made it a rout in the 25th minute when she pounced on a rebound in front of the cage on a penalty corner as the Heels led 3–0 at halftime. She said rebounds are a point of emphasis for the group.
“Hope was drag-flicking,” Heck said, using the term for a player lunging low, drawing the ball along the turf with their stick and whipping it toward the goal in one continuous motion. “I was looking for rebounds, and we harp on rebounds, second phase of the shot. It just came right to my forehand, and I was like, ‘I’m just gonna go for it.’ ”
Stanford pushed back after the early goal and generated some of its better looks in the second quarter, but the Tar Heels stayed composed. Matson said that response has been a point of growth for a team that spent much of the season learning to trust itself.
“Take a deep breath. We’re good. I trust in myself. I trust in my teammates, and it doesn’t need to look perfect. That’s not what we’re chasing,” Matson said.
Haynes said the approach comes down to keeping the game simple. “It’s just controlling the controllables and playing really simple hockey.”
UNC started out fast again after halftime on another penalty corner. Haynes sent a pass in from the circle, and freshman midfielder Sofie Ferri lofted a close-range shot over Stanford goaltender Anya Jackson 44 seconds into the second half.
The Tar Heels finished with an 18–8 shot advantage, and Matson said the variety in the attack made them difficult to defend.
“It’s really hard to defend a team who can play wide and use the width of the field, whether that’s with two-touch passing or 1v1 eliminations, whatever it is,” Matson said.
Junior midfielder Coco Courtright made a tough angle shot in the 42nd minute from near the end line for her seventh goal.
Haynes made it 6–0 with a penalty stroke in the 56th minute, prompting a fist-pump.
“I’m a really energetic person, and I was just really excited to score my first goal at Karen Shelton Stadium,” Haynes said.
Heck said the balanced scoring, which included a defender, midfielders and forwards, showed how much each player has put into the season.
“I think we all just came out and leaned into each other today. It’s incredible to have so many people scoring,” Heck said.
Notes
— The Tar Heels won the regular-season meeting with Syracuse 2–1 at home on Oct. 18.
— As has been the tradition for years for postseason games at home, the team is staying at a hotel and will be there for its entire time in the tournament.
— Tessa Shahbo (above photo), the ACC Defensive Player of the Week, got her third consecutive start in goal and turned away two shots in 45 minutes. Merritt Skubisz, the starter for most of the season, made one save in the second half as UNC recorded its eighth shutout of the year.
— Carolina seeks its 10th consecutive ACC title and 29th overall. All other league programs have combined for 15.
— This is the 11th time UNC has hosted the tournament, with the Tar Heels winning it nine of those years.
No. 10 UNC 6, Stanford 0
Karen Shelton Stadium
All games on ACC Network
Tuesday’s quarterfinals
No. 1 seed, No. 10-ranked North Carolina 6, No. 8 seed Stanford 0
No. 4 seed, No. 13-ranked Syracuse 4, No. 5 seed Louisville 3
No. 6 seed, No. 19-ranked Virginia 1, No. 2 seed, No. 7-ranked Wake Forest 0, OT
No. 7 seed Boston College 2, No. 3 seed, No. 6-ranked Duke 1
Wednesday’s semifinals
North Carolina (12–6) vs. Syracuse (10–6), 1 p.m.
Virginia (9–6) vs. Boston College (9–9), 3:30 p.m.
Friday’s championship game
UNC-Syracuse winner vs. Virginia-BC winner, 3 p.m.
| Date | Month/day | Time/ score | Opponent/event (current ranking) | Record/ TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August | ACC/Big Ten Challenge in Winston-Salem | |||
| 28 | Friday | L, 2–1, OT | Michigan | 0–1 |
| 30 | Sunday | L, 3–2, OT | No. 9 Iowa | 0–2 |
| September | ||||
| 4 | Friday | W, 7–0 | Penn | 1–2 |
| 6 | Sunday | W, 1–0, OT (3–2 shootout) | No. 8 Princeton | 2–2 |
| 11 | Friday | L, 5–4, OT | Old Dominion | 2–3 |
| 13 | Sunday | W, 2–1 | at Richmond | 3–3 |
| 20 | Sunday | L, 2–1 | vs. No. 19 Virginia | 3–4, 0–1 ACC |
| 25 | Friday | W, 8–1 | at Stanford | 4–4, 1–1 |
| 27 | Sunday | W, 4–0 | at No. 17 California | 5–4, 2–1 |
| October | ||||
| 2 | Friday | W, 3–0 | at Louisville | 6–4, 3–1 |
| 9 | Friday | W, 8–0. | at Saint Joseph’s | 7–4 |
| 11 | Sunday | L, 2–1 | at No. 12 Liberty | 7–5 |
| 16 | Friday | W, 4–0 | vs. Boston College | 8–5, 4–1 |
| 18 | Sunday | W, 2–1 | vs. No. 13 Syracuse | 9–5, 5–1 |
| 23 | Friday | L, 4–3 | vs. No. 7 Wake Forest | 9–6, 5–2 |
| 25 | Sunday | W, 5–0 | at Appalachian State | 10–6 |
| 30 | Friday | W, 2–1 | at No. 6 Duke | 11–6, 6–2 |
| November | ACC tournament At Karen Shelton Stadium | |||
| 3 | Tuesday | W, 6–0 | First round: vs. Stanford | 12–6 |
| 4 | Wednesday | 1 p.m. | Semifinals: No. 13 Syracuse | ACCN |
| 6 | Friday | 3 p.m. | Championship (with Wednesday win) | ACCN |
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| 13 | Friday | TBA | First round Campus sites | |
| 15 | Sunday | TBA | Second round Campus sites | |
| 20 | Friday | TBA | National semifinals Louisville | |
| 23 | Sunday | TBA | Championship Louisville |
Photos by Ainsley Fauth/theACC.com
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