Field hockey royalty: UNC earns 11th NCAA title and second straight in shootout thriller

CHAPEL HILL — For the 11th time in North Carolina program history and the second year in a row, the Tar Heels are NCAA field hockey national champions. In UNC’s first season under 23-year-old head coach Erin Matson, sophomore forward Ryleigh Heck buried a stroke in the sixth round to propel UNC to win the shootout 3–2 and the game 2–1 over Northwestern, after 80 minutes and two overtimes, before a standing-room-only crowd at Karen Shelton Stadium.

After UNC fumbles away chance to lead big early, Clemson owns night of frustration for Heels

CLEMSON, S.C. — After North Carolina fumbled away a potential 21-point early lead, the frustrations kept piling up for the Tar Heels despite solid early defense. Against a Clemson team playing far better than its record, the Tar Heels couldn’t afford mistakes, and Omarion Hampton — who had an otherwise productive day — fumbled twice in the first half to keep UNC from taking control.