Oct. 10, 2009
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Second-ranked North Carolina tied the Atlantic Coast Conference record for consecutive shutouts and stayed undefeated on the season with a 4-0 field hockey win over ninth-ranked Boston College Saturday at Francis E. Henry Stadium. The Tar Heels improved to 12-0 overall and 3-0 in ACC play with their ninth straight shutout, while B.C. fell to 9-3 overall, 1-3 ACC, with all three losses coming to teams currently ranked in the nation's top three.
Three of the Tar Heels' goals came in the first half, and all three were on penalty corners. Senior Melanie Brill scored two of those, including the gamewinner just three minutes into the action, and senior Illse Davids had the other as UNC capitalized on three of its four first-half corner opportunities. "You can't ask for more as a coach," UNC coach Karen Shelton said. "I'm delighted with our penalty corner execution. It's great when you can score on three out of four - I felt like we won it in the first half."
Brill's first goal, at the 3:06 mark, came on an assist from junior Katelyn Falgowski, who made the stick stop and pushed the ball left to set up a shot for Brill. UNC also got the ball into the cage on its second corner of the day, but the shot was ruled illegal and the goal was waved off.
At the 14:26 mark, Brill sent a hard ball toward the goal on the initial penalty corner shot, and Davids tipped it up and in from the front of the cage to put UNC up 2-0. The Tar Heels scored again on their fourth penalty corner of the half, with Brill getting off a shot on goal after a stick stop and push from freshman Katie Ardrey.
The Tar Heels added one more goal four minutes after halftime, when Davids took a pass from freshman Kelsey Kolojejchick to score her fifth goal of the season on a shot from the left side of the circle.
Senior Brianna O'Donnell played all 70 minutes in goal for Carolina, making four saves as the UNC defense withstood one of its toughest tests of the season. Boston College drew 10 penalty corners, a season high for a Tar Heel opponent, and got off nine shots.
"I'm very proud of Brianna O'Donnell and her ability to step in and help us keep a clean slate," Shelton said. "We've been focusing on our team defense, so to have Bri step in and get the shutout was a good statement for the depth and strength of our team. We're trying to fine-tune our defensive effort. We were tested today and we held firm, but it wasn't picture-perfect."
It was good enough for the team's ninth shutout in a row, a mark first achieved by Virginia in 1978. The 2007 Tar Heels also strung together nine consecutive shutouts en route to an undefeated season and national championship. This year's Tar Heels have a total of 10 shutouts in their 12 games and have allowed just two goals while scoring 65.
The game against Boston College marked the start of a busy weekend for the Tar Heels. Carolina travels to Durham on Sunday for a 1 p.m. matchup with Duke. The Tar Heels beat the Blue Devils 7-0 in Chapel Hill on Sept. 26 in this year's designated ACC matchup. (Sunday's game will not count toward the ACC standings, which include just one matchup with each conference opponent per year.)
"We were able to play a lot of people today and rest some legs," Shelton said. "So we were able to focus on this game but also prepare for tomorrow."
The matchup with Duke puts in play half a point in the 2009-10 Carlyle Cup race, the annual all-sports competition between the Tar Heels and Blue Devils. UNC claimed the point with a win in the teams' first meeting, but Duke could win half of it back by claiming a victory.
No. 2 North Carolina 4, No. 9 Boston College 0
Scoring: UNC - Melanie Brill (Katelyn Falgowski), 3:06; UNC - Illse Davids (Brill), 14:26; UNC - Brill (Katie Ardrey); UNC - Davids (Kelsey Kolojejchick), 39:00
Shots: UNC 16 (8/8), BC 9 (4/5)
Penalty corners: UNC 6 (4/2); BC 10 (6/4)
Goalkeeper saves: UNC 4 (Brianna O'Donnell, 4, 70:00); BC 6 (Kristine Stigas, 6, 70:00)
UNC starters: Brianna O'Donnell, Illse Davids, Riley Foster, Melanie Brill, Kelsey Kolojejchick, Elizabeth Drazdowski, Caitlin Van Sickle, Meghan Dawson, Danielle Forword, Katelyn Falgowski, Jaclyn Gaudioso Radvany
UNC substitutes: Teryn Brill, Charlotte Verstraten, Taryn Gjurich, Katie Ardrey, Katie Plyler, Kelsey Brinkman, Elizabeth Stephens, Jen Slocum, Casey Burns, Louise McNutt
