Nov. 16, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, Md.- The No. 1 University of North Carolina field hockey team kept its undefeated record intact as the Tar Heels defeated fourth-ranked Connecticut, 4-2, at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex Friday evening in NCAA Final Four action. The win was the Tar Heels' 23rd of the season, as the Huskies dropped to 22-3 on the year.
North Carolina got out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first 27 minutes of play on goals by Illse Davids, Danielle Forword, and Britt van Beek. Davids got help from Jesse Gey, who was credited with the assist after tipping a pass to the top of the circle for Davids' shot. Forword was assisted by Laree Beans.
North Carolina head coach Karen Shelton said, "We wanted to throw high pressure at them and the forwards worked really hard and we were able to just get something early and that was part of the plan, as it is in most games."
With just over 30 seconds remaining in the first half, Nikki Harmony put Connecticut on the board with an unassisted goal off the rebound. The sequence marked the Huskies' first shots of the game.
Connecticut continued its run after the halftime break, as Lauren Aird surprised the North Carolina defense with a quick trip up the field and a chip shot into the corner of the goal with only 17 seconds elapsed in the second period.
The score held steady at 3-2 for another 20 minutes, until Forword scored her second of the day to clinch the win for North Carolina in the 56th minute. She dribbled the ball along the end line to the left of Connecticut's goal, driving the ball into the back of the cage on the short angle.
North Carolina outshot Connecticut, 11-7, though the Huskies took five shots to the Tar Heels' four in the second half. Penalty corner opportunities were even at four apiece.
North Carolina goalkeeper Brianna O'Donnell and Connecticut goalkeeper Andrea Mainiero each made two saves in complete-game efforts.
Connecticut head coach Nancy Stevens said, "Obviously I couldn't be any more proud of our team, to fight back from a 3-0 deficit shows a lot of character. I think my favorite moment of the game was when the score was 3-2 and we had a corner and we missed by inches. That would have been incredibly exciting to tie it up. I think our players battled the whole game and I am extremely proud of them."
The Tar Heels will face the winner of the Wake Forest-Penn State semifinal game in the NCAA championship game on Sunday, Nov. 18, at noon in College Park. Tickets can be purchased online at www.umterps.com or at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex day of game. The game will air on CSTV.
GOALS: UCONN, Nikki Harmony (un), 34:26, Lauren Aird (un), 35:17; UNC, Illse Davids (Jesse Gey), 5:48, Danielle Forword (Laree Beans), 16:02, Britt van Beek (un), 26:13, Danielle Forword (un), 56:57. SHOTS: UCONN 7, UNC 11. PENALTY CORNERS: UCONN 4, UNC 4. SAVES: UCONN, Andrea Mainiero 2 (4 GA, 70:00); UNC, Brianna O'Donnell 2 (2 GA, 70:00).
