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

Friday, August 29

Iowa City, Iowa

Noon CT

Michigan

(0-2, 0-0)

North Carolina

(2-0, 0-0)

North Carolina

Michigan

Claire Taylor (Michigan Photography)

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

8/29/2025 4:17:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Leah Howard

» No. 7 Michigan fell 3-0 in its season opener to No. 2 North Carolina at the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
» UNC capitalized on a penalty stroke and a penalty corner to score twice and pull away in the third quarter.
» Carolina led in shots, 12-6, while Michigan held a 6-3 advantage in corners.

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The No. 7-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team dropped its season opener at the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge, falling 3-0 to No. 2 North Carolina on Friday afternoon (Aug. 29) at Iowa's Grant Field.

UNC (1-0) struck first in the first quarter, capitalizing on a long, bouncing pass to get behind the Wolverines defense at the 9:37 mark, but the game remained closed through halftime. Michigan (0-1) narrowly led in both shots (5-4) and corners (4-1) at the break.

Carolina capitalized on opportunities to pull away with two goals in the third quarter. UNC converted on a penalty stroke at 32:40; graduate student Caylie McMahon lunged to the left to get her stick on the shot, but it just slipped past her on the post. The Tar Heels scored again late in the frame with a corner goal at the 41:54 mark. McMahon made the initial stop, but Michigan could not clear as the ball worked back to the middle and UNC got a second-effort shot off to the lower-left corner.

One of Michigan's best chances came on back-to-back corner chances late in the second quarter; the second shot hit the UNC goalkeeper and bounced high back the other direction. U-M recovered to get back and stop the Carolina break.

In all, UNC outshot the Wolverines 12-6 while Michigan held a 6-3 advantage in penalty corners. Junior/sophomore goalkeeper Hala Silverstein and McMahon played a half apiece and combined for three saves, while UNC's Katie Wimmer and Merritt Skubisz combined for five stops.

Michigan will close out its ACC/Big Ten Challenge weekend against No. 20 Wake Forest at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday (Aug. 31) at Iowa's Grant Field. The game will be streamed live on B1G+.