Michigan
(18-5)
North Carolina
(20-2)
Wolverines Fall to No. 1 UNC in NCAA Quarterfinals
11/15/2015 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
» UNC scored the lone goal on a penalty corner rebound at 22:05.
» UNC outshot the Wolverines, 16-2, and outcornered them, 4-1, but neither team posted many chances in the second half.
» Goalkeeper Sam Swenson earned eight saves, including seven in the first half, while Mackenzie Ellis posted a defensive save late.
Site: Chapel Hill, N.C. (Francis E. Henry Stadium)
Event: NCAA Tournament (Quarterfinals)
Score: #1 North Carolina 1, #10 Michigan 0
Records: U-M (18-5), UNC (20-2)
Next U-M Event: Season Complete
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The No. 10-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team dropped a 1-0 heartbreaker to No. 1 North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 15) at the Tar Heels' Francis E. Henry Stadium.
The lone goal of the game came on a first-half penalty corner -- UNC's first -- when Ashley Hoffman knocked in the rebound at the 22:05 mark. Gab Major took the initial shot after curling out to the left on a misdirection play. Sophomore goalkeeper Sam Swenson made the stop, but Hoffman corralled the rebound and knocked it into the lower left corner.
The Wolverines went on the attack after the goal with sustained pressure in the UNC defensive 25 but struggled to get the ball into the circle. North Carolina stole momentum several minutes later with its own pressure deep in U-M territory. Swenson came up with several big saves, stopping a Major shot in front then sliding to the left to get in front of the second effort and earning two saves on another Tar Heel penalty corner late in the first half.
Neither team posted many offensive chances in the second half, with UNC registering a narrow 4-0 advantage in shots. Michigan suffered from several unlucky fouls in the Tar Heel circle, while its defense largely kept North Carolina out of its own. Graduate student Mackenzie Ellis made a couple stellar plays late, earning a defensive save on the goal line when UNC pulled Swenson out of the goal and later blocked a corner shot in front.
The Wolverines pulled Swenson with 1:13 to go but could maintain possession across the midfield line.
UNC outshot the Wolverines, 16-2, and outcornered them, 4-1. Swenson earned eight saves in the Michigan cage, while UNC goalkeeper Shannon Johnson stopped both U-M shots on goal.
The Wolverines wrap up the 2015 season with an 18-5 record, including a 7-1 mark in Big Ten Conference games, the program's 12th NCAA Tournament appearance.
Team Stats
Ashley Hoffman (7)
Assisted By: Nina Notman
Penalty corner
22:05
