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#UNC field hockey postgame press conference with Coach Erin Matson, Sanne Hak and Ryleigh Heck
Nov 16, 2025
#UNC field hockey postgame press conference with Coach Erin Matson, Sanne Hak and Ryleigh Heck
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0:00
Um, yeah. I mean, first off, props to
0:03
Duke. They gave us their all. They give
0:04
us their all every single game. It's fun
0:06
for us to play them. Um, we love it. I
0:09
think the
0:11
actually, let me restart. Um, I was
0:13
going to say we like the results better
0:14
than actually playing them, but I
0:15
probably shouldn't say that. Um, it was
0:18
a great game of hockey. I think the
0:19
girls played together for an entire 60
0:22
minutes from the start till the end,
0:24
focusing on every single quarter and and
0:25
taking it 15 minutes by 15 minutes. Um,
0:28
I think the fact that we had 24 shots on
0:32
cage describes the attack that we
0:34
created and a lot of it was because of
0:35
these two guys next to me. Um, and then
0:38
defensively, I think it was also an
0:40
amazing game holding them to only seven
0:41
shots. Um, yes, we let one in, but I
0:44
think for the most part, we're proud
0:46
with how tight we were on our marks and
0:48
the clean tackles that we came up with.
0:50
Um, I think again it was a great game of
0:53
hockey, but it also tested these guys
0:55
and we're getting the most out of them
0:57
at the right time and we're really proud
0:58
of that. Um, yeah, to to beat Duke on
1:01
our home field to send us to the final
1:03
four in overtime. Um, with SA being the
1:06
one to score, um, I I think it's really
1:08
good energy rolling into this next week.
1:10
And we're purely focused on let's
1:12
continue getting better, feeling good,
1:14
and playing a good game on Friday. But
1:16
definitely excited to head to Durham.
1:17
And I don't think those words have ever
1:18
come out of my mouth before.
1:21
Erin, if you could talk about um how
1:22
that last play was kind of drawn up.
1:24
What was sort of the plan? Um who was
1:26
supposed to get the ball in that um in
1:28
that last?
1:29
Yeah. So for overtime corners, they
1:31
obviously look a little different than
1:33
regular uh regulation corners, but um
1:36
the way we coach everything is based on
1:38
principles and then we trust our players
1:40
to read the game and make decisions in
1:41
the moment. And that's purely what an
1:43
overtime corner is for us. Um, you know,
1:46
we have a general outline, I guess, if
1:48
you will, of what the play looks like.
1:50
But, um, whoever's in that middle and it
1:53
was Riley and that's our number one who
1:54
we want in there receiving the ball and
1:56
making the decision. She takes it in.
1:58
She reads if she has a shot or not. The
1:59
first one she had the shot, she took it.
2:01
Um, it was an amazing shot, hit the
2:03
post, we got another corner. And then
2:04
same thing, let's, you know, work it
2:06
again, but fall back on the principles
2:08
of reading the game, seeing what's open.
2:10
Um, and then same thing, it's funny how
2:12
it works with Sitska. She has the choice
2:14
whether she shoots it or passes or
2:16
eliminates whatever and she made the
2:17
decision in the moment after training it
2:19
and feeling confident with it to pass
2:20
it. SA's job is to read whether or not
2:23
seeds of shooting and tipping or needing
2:25
to be an option and passing and she did
2:27
exactly that. So, um I think it was an
2:29
all-encompassing play of exactly how we
2:32
do things here at Carolina.
2:34
And Riley and SA if you could kind of
2:35
talk about what you were sort of seeing
2:37
and your reactions. And then Riley, also
2:39
if you could talk about kind of SA's
2:40
impact and her growth throughout the
2:42
seasons.
2:43
Should I ask? Um, yeah, I just we
2:45
practiced it at practice and I just need
2:47
to read whether Sitka is going to sweep
2:49
it and then being at the far post or
2:52
getting outside the girl. Um, so I can
2:54
be an option and I saw that she stepped
2:56
through Sitka. So I knew that there was
2:59
an option for me for the pass and then
3:03
came to me. It was kind of bouncing, so
3:05
I got a little bit nervous, but it was
3:07
an easy goal to just tap it in. So happy
3:10
to help the team.
3:12
You know, I could always talk about SA.
3:16
SA is one of my favorite players that
3:18
I've ever played with on this field. Um,
3:20
we've been together for three years and
3:22
she's my go-to person to pass the ball
3:24
or to get the ball from. Um, and like in
3:28
a game or in practice, you know, we
3:30
always fight to be on the same team. So,
3:32
I mean, for her to finish it is just
3:34
such a special thing. Um, because she's
3:37
always there when we do overtime
3:39
corners, she's always that person who's
3:41
ready on the back post and some a lot of
3:43
times it does not go there. So, we are
3:45
just so happy that she put in the back
3:46
of the net and um it's just an
3:49
incredible feeling to have and I'm just
3:51
so happy for Sana and our team. And so
3:54
if you could kind of talk about sort of
3:56
from the beginning your journey in field
3:58
hockey kind of up until this point what
4:00
um what kind of
4:01
my whole Carolina journey.
4:02
Tell them why you came here. Tell them
4:04
why you came here.
4:04
Just your Yeah.
4:06
Well, it's kind of a long story. Um but
4:09
I went to Ireland one summer with the
4:12
national team and um the US national
4:14
team was there too. So I was just
4:16
talking to like Riley, Kennedy, Katie
4:19
and Kirsten. We were all there and the
4:21
first impression of Riley, this is
4:22
actually really funny, but we did this
4:24
soccer circle where you tried to keep
4:26
them on the air and Riley was in the
4:28
circle, but she kept being on her phone
4:30
and she was just not paying attention.
4:32
So, I was like, "Oh, this is so
4:33
annoying. Like, why is she even in it if
4:35
she's not paying attention?" Um, but
4:38
yeah, but I really overall I really like
4:39
them. So, I was like, "Oh, maybe I
4:41
should just go, you know, and it was the
4:43
best decision ever." And I didn't even
4:45
really talk to other schools because I
4:47
just knew that this was the right place
4:48
for me. That's awesome. And Erin, if you
4:50
could kind of speak on that as well,
4:51
what you've seen from SA and kind of how
4:54
has she grown sort of throughout this
4:55
this season?
4:56
Yeah. Um, I mean, I don't know how I was
5:00
so lucky to receive this position and
5:03
then I could end the sentence there, but
5:04
even then inherit players like these
5:06
guys. Um, coaching both of them is a
5:09
dream for any coach. to have multiple
5:12
players on your team and there's even
5:13
more than just these two um who
5:15
literally make you smile and laugh
5:17
because you coach them and tell them to
5:19
do something and then they do something
5:20
out of this world. Um and it's a joy to
5:22
watch and I think um again both of them
5:25
are like that and and SA is the same
5:28
way. I think we have a lot of fun
5:29
together. She always jokes I'm like I
5:31
would have loved to play with you. Are
5:32
you kidding? And she doesn't think so.
5:34
Um she thinks I would have been too
5:36
intense but I think we would have been
5:38
intense together.
5:39
I don't know.
5:40
Um, but coaching works. Um, and like I
5:43
said, I mean, it's it's a joy to be able
5:45
to coach such talented players with
5:47
skill, um, like Sonnet has, but also the
5:50
game awareness and ability to read the
5:51
game. And I think honestly, I pick the
5:54
ball being on her stick over any
5:56
opponent any day. Um, but today that
5:59
helped her of course and helped us as a
6:01
team, but her ability to read the game.
6:03
Um, and that's where it's fun for us to
6:05
coach because they there's continual
6:07
development there. Um, and then I guess
6:08
I would end with um, you know, it's easy
6:12
for highlevel athletes to get in their
6:15
head and to have doubt and to put so
6:18
much pressure in a positive way because
6:20
they want it so badly on themselves. And
6:23
I think SA is a perfectionist. So is
6:25
Riley. So is myself. And that's
6:28
something we focus on almost equally
6:31
with hockey, too, because we want that
6:33
confidence and belief flowing, too. And
6:35
when you combine that with the
6:37
abilities, that's where the magic
6:38
happens. Um, and I think SA has grown
6:41
tremendously um, as a player with that
6:43
as a leader on this team now. Um, and
6:46
it's just been again fun to coach her,
6:48
but also see her kind of assume that
6:50
role and embrace that role and now
6:52
younger girls learning from her and her
6:54
even surprising herself um, and coming
6:57
up big in moments like this because we
6:59
all trust in it and sometimes she just
7:01
needs a reminder that she needs to trust
7:02
in herself, too. And this was a perfect
7:04
one.
7:04
And I know potentially earlier in the
7:06
season you were discussing her playing a
7:08
new position. I don't know if that's
7:09
still still happen.
7:11
Yeah, she'll roll into the center mid a
7:12
little bit. She definitely prefers the
7:15
sides. Um but we play fluid hockey, we
7:18
play attacking hockey and team defense.
7:20
So, you know, even though they have
7:22
positions, they're rotating around. Um
7:25
and SA is someone again we trust in the
7:27
middle of the field, on the side of the
7:29
field, in the circle, defensive circle,
7:31
wherever it is. So, um, yeah, why not?
7:34
And she's doing great today.
7:36
Yeah. How has it been for you adopting?
7:37
Go ahead.
7:38
Congratulations, Eric. Um,
7:39
thank you.
7:40
Yeah, I believe you're 14 and0 against
7:42
three.
7:43
Um, I think 15.
7:44
Don't cut me short with one.
7:47
15 and0.
7:48
15 and0.
7:49
Can you can you talk about I mean, it's
7:51
a robbery in all sports, but it seems
7:52
like it's rather one-sided. Uh,
7:54
yeah.
7:55
In field hockey.
7:56
Yeah. What's the total at? Are we at
7:58
89 and 12?
7:59
89 and 12. 15 and0 over the last however
8:02
seven years, eight years. Yeah. Um I
8:06
mean it's definitely a rivalry. I think
8:08
at our core we're hockey players but
8:10
we're also Tarheelss. Um and that you
8:13
know rivalry doesn't go anywhere even
8:14
though I would say the the record is
8:16
pretty lopsided. Um and I think it's a
8:19
similar question of people asking me how
8:22
do you keep the standard? How do you
8:24
keep winning? It was the same that, you
8:26
know, we got when we were players after
8:27
two national championships, three
8:29
national championships. Like, why? What
8:30
else is there to do? And it's like, what
8:32
do you mean? You just keep winning. So,
8:34
we're kind of beyond the point um where
8:37
it's like, you know, we we need to find
8:40
the motivation to beat them in a way.
8:44
It's more like finding the motivation to
8:45
keep that going and keep the rivalry so
8:48
lopsided. And um you know I I take it
8:51
very personally because of the 15-0 and
8:53
like I don't want to lose either but I
8:55
don't need to say that these guys um
8:57
want to win and and again just keep that
9:00
record going themselves. So um we
9:03
definitely find motivation in it but I
9:04
think it's in a different way now since
9:07
it is lopsided.
9:08
The jersey swap was was that
9:10
gamesmanship or what was going on there?
9:13
Yeah, I won't talk too much on it. Um,
9:17
how do I want to phrase this?
9:20
Just a interesting decision that
9:24
um I guess we
9:27
take pride in the fact that we don't get
9:29
rattled and we are problem solvers. So,
9:32
motivation.
9:33
Oh, yeah. A little bit. I would say
9:36
speak to that sort of in the game. It
9:38
was a dominant game for you guys,
9:40
especially in the stats. you're not
9:42
getting the ball in the net
9:44
and yet you stay in your lane. Speak to
9:46
it as a coach and then you guys as
9:48
players just not getting frustrated and
9:49
just keep doing what you're doing and
9:51
then it works out in the end.
9:52
Yeah, I think we harp on that often. I'm
9:54
big on consistency. Um, and also not
9:57
having to fix what's not broken. And you
9:59
know, there's going to be games where
10:01
the goalkeeper's hot. Uh, there's going
10:03
to be games where the other team's
10:05
getting sticks on balls and this and
10:06
that. We're at a point where one in the
10:09
season, but also in the way we play and
10:11
just kind of our philosophy that we have
10:14
trust in Carolina field hockey and what
10:15
that means. And that doesn't mean you're
10:17
going to get it perfect every time. It
10:18
doesn't mean you're going to come out
10:19
with a win every time. You need to do
10:20
the work every single game. But um it's
10:23
too easy to get frustrated then go
10:25
internal and get in your head and then
10:26
people start hesitating and then people
10:28
aren't working together where it's just
10:30
stay the course and you got to trust in
10:32
the fact that what we do works when we
10:34
do it well and when we execute when we
10:35
stick together. Um so it's just
10:37
constantly reminding them that they
10:39
remind each other that. Um and I think
10:42
it helped us today. you know, we lean
10:44
into every piece of motivation, big,
10:46
small, obvious, a little secretive,
10:48
whatever it is. But, um, I think it's
10:51
also balancing that fire and that
10:53
competitiveness with being steady, being
10:56
consistent, focusing on what's right in
10:58
front of you. Um, and just having trust
11:00
in that.
11:01
Couple more.
11:02
Oh, sorry. Do you guys want to talk
11:03
about that?
11:05
[Music]
11:06
You take that micro. Um, I think in
11:09
games when we're having 25 shots a game
11:12
or even more, like the one thing that we
11:15
are all really good at is reminding each
11:16
other, like Aaron said, just to keep
11:17
going. If we don't get that shot off,
11:19
okay, what's next? What's the next thing
11:21
we have to do for our team for um all
11:24
like all of our teammates, the person
11:25
next to us. So, I think that's like one
11:28
thing we really really do well with is
11:30
okay, shot doesn't go in. All right,
11:32
press like and then we have leaders from
11:35
the back talking to us, communicating,
11:38
making sure we're doing the right next
11:40
thing and not harping on what we
11:42
couldn't get off. And I think that's a
11:44
really good culture that we built. And I
11:46
think it's took us a long way. And I
11:48
mean, it's one of the best feelings to
11:50
have on the field when everyone supports
11:51
you, even when you mess up. So, I mean,
11:53
we're all very grateful for that.
11:55
Anything? No.
11:59
Shocker.
12:01
How
12:02
How did How does it feel? I know it's
12:03
just the way hockey hits sometimes, but
12:05
you all are dominating this the the
12:07
numbers and you're still only up one
12:09
nothing at halftime.
12:11
Uh what what are the notions of that?
12:13
Yeah. Um I think it's honestly
12:15
counterintuitive. It's easy to say um
12:18
you know, you're dominating the whole
12:19
time. You have possession the whole
12:20
time. The keeper's having to make so
12:21
many saves. But at the same time, if you
12:24
think about the other side of it, I'm
12:25
not saying this is the reason why, but
12:27
you know, we're not playing defense for
12:30
a long period of time and then you have
12:32
to stay locked in. Our goalkeepers see
12:34
two shots a half, you know, and that's
12:36
and they're expected to save that where
12:38
their keepers constantly I'm locked in.
12:40
I'm I'm getting action. I feel hot. So,
12:42
it's kind of like the double-edged sword
12:45
of it's great that we are dominating and
12:47
we play a game like that, but it's also
12:48
not that it's harder, but it's I would
12:50
say it's equally challenging to make
12:52
sure you're staying locked in on the
12:53
things that you're not focused on for
12:55
the majority of the game. Um, so again,
12:57
it's just reminding them that, too. Um,
13:00
and I think in terms of our defense,
13:02
we've seen huge growth throughout the
13:04
season, um, coming from the first game
13:06
till now. And just like our attack,
13:09
nothing's perfect. We don't play a
13:10
perfect game of hockey. Um, but we have
13:13
confidence in the fact that there's been
13:15
growth and I think that's what we're
13:16
focused on. So, um, even in those
13:18
moments where they get three shots and
13:21
one's a goal, you know, it's still going
13:23
back to let's stay steady. Let's make
13:25
sure that we keep our heads. Um, and at
13:28
the same time, like we still have
13:29
confidence that doesn't necessarily
13:31
reflect the game. So, um, it's much
13:34
nicer, yeah, when it's a 5-2 win, um,
13:36
after, you know, putting some more away.
13:39
But a win's a win, and you guys have
13:41
heard me say it in postseason, that's
13:42
all that matters right now. So, we'll be
13:44
proud with whatever numbers are up
13:46
there.
13:46
Thank you, guys.
13:48
Cool.
13:48
Thank you, guys.