No. 5 Princeton Falls In Heartbreaker To No. 1 UNC

Friday, September 6

Chapel Hill, N.C.

5:00 PM

Princeton University

(0-1)

#1 North Carolina

(3-0)

Princeton

North Carolina

Photo by: Jeffrey Camarati

No. 5 Princeton Falls In Heartbreaker To No. 1 UNC

September 06, 2019 | Field Hockey

Box Score

In what felt like an NCAA Final Four contest, the No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels registered three goals in the final five minutes to continue their 26-game winning streak with a 4-3 victory over the No. 5 Princeton Tigers.

The Tar Heels started fast, producing a corner less than a minute into the game, but the shot attempt was blocked. Princeton nabbed consecutive corner tries but couldn't come through.

That changed in the seventh minute.

Hannah Davey blasted a shot off a corner that was denied by North Carolina's goalie Amanda Hendry. Hendry corralled the ball for a few seconds, but it jarred loose and Sammy Popper whacked it through for her first collegiate tally.

By the time the first quarter came to a close, the Tigers' offense was rolling with seven shots.

Princeton hardly slowed down as the second frame got underway. Seven minutes in, Taylor Nolan deflected a long pass into the circle that Hendry didn't play because she thought it was untouched. Originally called no goal, the call was reviewed and reversed.

North Carolina responded quickly. How quickly? Just 26 seconds later. Karlijn Goes got the Tar Heels on the board on a helper from Erin Matson.

As the clock ticked near four minutes, the Tigers earned another corner. Popper whipped a long shot from just inside the circle that went in.

Princeton went on to take a 3-1 advantage into the break. It marked the first time that North Carolina had allowed more than two goals since Oct. of 2017.

In the third quarter, the Tigers managed being a player down by not allowing a shot. Princeton goalie and senior captain Grace Baylis stopped two in the frame as the road team held a 3-1 lead after three.

With about eight minutes to go, North Carolina pulled its goalie, allowing for an extra field player. Matson recorded a goal with 5:01 left, shooting a hard shot near post that went in. With under four minutes remaining, the Tar Heels called for a reviewed and were awarded with a penalty stroke. Megan DuVernois tied the non-conference tilt with a ball that was just out of the reach of Baylis.

The Tar Heels registered the game-winner with 24 seconds to go. Matson dribbled along the far base line and had her attempt deflected in.

Head coach Carla Tagliente's group was looking for its first victory over North Carolina since 2012. The Tigers take on No. 10 Wake Forest on Sunday at 11 a.m. The game can be seen on the ACC Network. Fans who do not have the ACC Network with their cable provider will not be able to stream the game online. To see if you get the network in your area, check out this site.