Wolverines Fall to No. 2 North Carolina in ACC/Big Ten Challenge Opener

Friday, August 30

Ann Arbor, Mich.

6:00 PM

Michigan

(0-1)

North Carolina

(1-0)

North Carolina

Michigan

Abby Tamer (Michigan Photography)

Wolverines Fall to No. 2 North Carolina in ACC/Big Ten Challenge Opener

8/30/2024 9:05:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Leah Howard

» No. 12 Michigan pulled within a goal early in the third but fell 4-1 its season opener to No. 2 North Carolina at the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
» Juliette Manzur scored U-M's goal off a corner tip at the 31:18 mark with an assist from Erin Reilly; it is the second straight year that Manzur scored the Wolverines' first goal of the season.
» UNC scored twice in the second quarter. Hala Silverstein posted seven saves in her collegiate debut, while Claire Taylor tallied a fourth-quarter defensive save.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 12-ranked University of Michigan field hockey pulled within one goal early in the third quarter but could not maintain the momentum in a 4-1 loss to No. 2 North Carolina, the two-time defending NCAA champion, in its season opener at the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Friday night (Aug. 30) in front of 1,019 fans at Phyllis Ocker Field.

Michigan controlled the early minutes of the game, outshooting the Tar Heels 5-1 and outcornering them 2-1 in the first quarter. But North Carolina surged in the second, scoring twice within a 2:38 stretch midway through the quarter.

UNC opened scoring at the 22:55 mark, pulling sophomore/freshman goalkeeper Hala Silverstein out of the cage before working the ball to the left post and knocking it into the open net. The Tar Heels struck again at 25:33 on a cross-cage shot to the lower-left corner.

Sophomore Juliette Manzur tallied Michigan's goal at 31:18 early in the third, getting her stick on a corner direct shot from graduate student Erin Reilly at the top of the arc and tipping it high into the cage. It is the second straight year that Manzur scored U-M's first goal of the season against UNC.

North Carolina answered late in the third quarter, reestablishing its two-goal cushion off a penalty corner of its own at 43:21. The Wolverines had a corner shot blocked, and the Tar Heels broke it fast up the field to draw the corner then converted on a rebound shot that deflected off a U-M defender. UNC added a late insurance tally with an empty-net goal at 58:01.

In all, North Carolina outshot the Wolverines 18-12 and outcornered them 9-7. Silverstein earned seven saves in her collegiate debut, including three of Carolina corner drag flicks, while UNC goalkeeper Abigail Taylor stopped two of three U-M shots on goal.

Senior/junior Claire Taylor also added a slick defensive save in the fourth quarter. Silverstein made the initial save on a Carolina corner, its rebound shot went high and hit Taylor on the goal line. The umpires initially called for a UNC stroke, but Michigan challenged that the ball hit Taylor's front stick and won.

Michigan (0-1) will close out its ACC/Big Ten Challenge weekend against No. 18 Wake Forest at 2 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 1) at Ocker Field. North Carolina will take on Iowa at 11 a.m. Admission is free, and both games will be streamed live on B1G+.