Michigan
(0-1-0)
North Carolina
(1-0-0)
Wolverines Blanked by No. 1 UNC in Season Opener
8/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Site: Winston-Salem, N.C. (Kentner Stadium)
Event: Big Ten/ACC Challenge
Score: #1 North Carolina 6, #9 Michigan 0
Records: U-M (0-1), UNC (1-0)
Next U-M Match: Sunday, Aug. 31 -- at Wake Forest at Big Ten/ACC Challenge (Winston-Salem, N.C.), 11 a.m.
Boxscore
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The No. 9-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team fell to top-ranked North Carolina 6-0 in its 2008 season opener at the annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Saturday (Aug. 30) at Wake Forest's Kentner Stadium. With four UNC goals scored in the first half, including a pair in the opening six minutes of play, the Wolverines could not recover from the early and significant deficit.
Michigan could do little to stop the scoring attack of the Tar Heels' Danielle Forword, who accounted for four of her team's goals, including both goals that came in the game's early minutes. Her first marker, which proved to be all North Carolina would need, came on a point-blank shot just 1:40 into the match. Forword accepted a pass in front of the U-M cage from Taryn Gjurich, spun and fired it past Wolverine senior/junior goalkeeper Paige Pickett(Dallas, Texas/Episcopal School of Dallas).
UNC, the defending NCAA champion, scored twice more in the subsequent 15 minutes as Forword took advantage of a flurry in the Wolverine circle following a penalty-corner opportunity to register an unassisted marker at 5:51 and Britt van Beek converted on a penalty-stroke opportunity at the 16:04 mark.
Forword bracketed the halftime break with two more tallies, closing the first stanza's scoring -- at the 26:12 mark -- with a rebound goal in front of the U-M cage before kicking off the second half with a quick shot and goal from the right side of the circle six minutes into the frame. The Tar Heels' Elizabeth Stephens wrapped up her team's offensive efforts with a goal at 50:37, scoring on her own rebound and pushing it past Pickett.
The Wolverines' best scoring chances came in the closing minutes of each half off of penalty-corner opportunities. Sophomore striker Meredith Way(Newsmanstown, Pa./Warwick HS) led Michigan with three shots, including one on goal late in the first half. Senior/junior Heather Wiley(San Diego, Calif./Torrey Pines HS) also tallied a shot on goal in the second.
North Carolina boasted a dominant 21-6 advantage in the shot category, including an 11-2 edge in the first half, and outcornered the Wolverines 8-5. Pickett earned six saves in the U-M cage, while UNC goaltender Brianna O'Donnell stopped both of Michigan's shots on goal.
The Wolverines will conclude play in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge tomorrow (Sunday, Aug. 31), when they face off against host Wake Forest at 11 a.m. North Carolina will face Iowa at 2 p.m. in the day's second match.
MATCH SUMMARY
| By Periods | 1 | 2 | F |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| North Carolina | 4 | 2 | 6 |
Scoring, Time (Assist)
1st-- UNC, Danielle Forword, 1:40 (Taryn Gjurich)
1st-- UNC, Forword, 5:51 (unassisted)
1st-- UNC, Britt van Beek, 16:04 (penalty stroke)
1st-- UNC, Forword, 26:16 (unassisted)
2nd -- UNC, Forword, 41:02 (unassisted)
2nd -- UNC, Elizabeth Stephens, 50:37 (unassisted)
Shots: UNC 21, U-M 6
Saves: U-M6 (Paige Pickett), UNC2 (Brianna O'Donnell)
Defensive Saves: U-M 0, UNC 0
Penalty Corners: UNC 8, U-M 5
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
Danielle Forword (1)
Assisted By: Taryn Gjurich
just in front of goal
1:40
Danielle Forword (2)
GOAL by NC Danielle Forword, goal number 2 for season.
5:51
Britt van Beek (1)
NC Britt van Beek PENALTY STROKE GOAL, goal number 1 for season.
16:04
Danielle Forword (3)
put in 10's rebound
26:12
Danielle Forword (4)
fast from right middle
41:02
Elizabeth Stephens (1)
caught rebound from her previous shot
50:37
