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CHAPEL HILL — The final season of the Erin Matson Show is becoming wildly popular. An overflow crowd estimated at 1,150, one of the largest in UNC program history, turned out for the latest episode on a sun-splashed Friday afternoon at Karen Shelton Stadium. Many fans were standing or sitting on the grass to watch a legend of Carolina’s storied field hockey program.
While the unstoppable Carolina field hockey team held on to its No. 2 ranking, the UNC women’s soccer team fell a spot, and both cross country teams moved up in their polls. Coach Karen Shelton’s field hockey team is 7–0 after blanking No. 4 Louisville 3–0 Friday in its ACC opener. The Tar Heels, who have won their last four games by a combined score of 20–0, face No. 15 Wake Forest in their league home opener at 4 p.m. Friday (ACC Network Extra/ESPN3).
CHAPEL HILL — When No. 2 North Carolina lost defenders Maycee Bell and Kaleigh Herr for the season to knee injuries, the elite women’s soccer teams figured to challenge the Tar Heels’ thin backline. After UNC controlled the first half, No. 7 Virginia made the most of its chances with three goals on six shots. Talented junior midfielder Lia Godfrey rallied the Cavaliers from a two-goal halftime deficit for a 3–2 victory at Dorrance Field in the ACC opener for both teams.
CHAPEL HILL — In a season of transition for Carolina’s volleyball team, with the Tar Heels replacing veterans with young players, it’s never going to be easy, particularly against a challenging early schedule. Coach Joe Sagula saw those growing pains play out this weekend at Carmichael Arena during the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. The Tar Heels rolled to a 3–0 Friday victory over Michigan State before battling well but losing by the same score Saturday against Michigan as four freshmen adjust to the college game.
DURHAM — After a blip in Carolina’s domination of Duke in women’s soccer, Tori Hansen gave the Blue Devils a heads-up that the Tar Heels still own the rivalry. No. 2 UNC (6–1–0) seized control with the senior defender’s first-half header, and goalkeeper Emmie Allen earned her first career shutout in a dominant 3–0 victory Thursday night over No. 3 Duke in a non-conference game.
UCLA leapfrogged Carolina and Duke to take the No. 1 spot in the latest United Soccer Coaches women’s soccer Top 25 after winning on the road 2–1 last week against the Tar Heels and the Blue Devils, who meet Thursday. The Bruins (5–0–0), No. 3 last week, got all eight first-place votes, with UNC (5–1–0) and Duke (5–1–0) each slipping one spot, the Tar Heels to No. 2 and the Blue Devils to No. 3.
CHAPEL HILL — Soccer can be an unforgiving, frustrating game some days, and that was the case Sunday for top-ranked North Carolina, which had nothing to show from a dominant effort. The Tar Heels got the better of the physical, high-level women’s soccer match, but No. 3 UCLA scored on two counters, one after the goal scorer appeared to knock over a UNC defender, to earn a 2–1 victory at Dorrance Field in what might have been a College Cup preview.
CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina’s season of redemption is off to an impressive start in the fifth and final season for all-everything forward Erin Matson — field hockey’s answer to Charlie Justice, Michael Jordan, Phil Ford or Mia Hamm. Losing is alien to the program, and the Tar Heels dealt with an uncommon share of that last season. No. 2 UNC continued to put that behind it Friday, moving to 3–0 with its third win over a ranked team, this one a 4–3 ACC-Ivy Challenge win over No. 13 Princeton in their home opener at Karen Shelton Stadium.
UNC remained the unanimous No. 1 team in the United Soccer Coaches women’s poll Tuesday and face challenging upcoming matches, while Carolina jumped 11 spots to No. 13 in the men’s poll. Coach Anson Dorrance’s women (4–0–0) got all eight first-place votes for the second consecutive season. The Tar Heels have outscored their opponents 13–0 in four games after outscoring its two exhibition opponents 7–0.
CHAPEL HILL — After an offseason with a lot of roster turnover, North Carolina will need the type of leadership fifth-year midfielder Milo Garvanian gave the Tar Heels in Thursday’s opener. Garvanian (top photo) notched a goal and an assist in the first half to lead No. 24 UNC to a dominant 2–1 victory at Dorrance Field over Air Force to remain undefeated in openers under 12th-year Coach Carlos Somoano.
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