Virginia Falls to North Carolina 3-2 in ACC Field Hockey Championship

UVA's rally came up short as the Cavaliers fell to the Tar Heels in the ACC title game for the second season in a row

Virginia Athletics

For the second year in a row, the Cavaliers were denied an ACC title by the Tar Heels. UVA scored two fourth-quarter goals, but that was not enough to stage the comeback as Virginia fell to No. 1 and undefeated North Carolina 3-2 in the ACC Field Hockey Championship on Friday in Durham. 

History was certainly on the side of the Tar Heels, who came into the match seeking their sixth-consecutive ACC championship and 25th in program history. 

It didn't take long for UNC to assert command in yet another ACC title match, drawing first blood less than ten minutes in, as Lisa Slinkert converted on a penalty corner. The Cavaliers spent most of the opening half on their heels, as they attempted zero shots as compared to nine first-half shots for North Carolina. 

Jet Trimborn and the UVA defense held up against the barrage of UNC shots until the final minute of the first half, when the Tar Heels converted on their fifth penalty corner. Sietske Bruning took a shot from the top of the shooting circle and Ryleigh Heck just barely got a stick on it to deflect it into the back of the cage to double the UNC lead. 

After a scoreless third period, Virginia finally got on the board early in the fourth as Annie McDonough scored for the second match in a row. A pass from Meghen Hengerer somehow found its way through the sticks of multiple UNC defenders to McDonough, who swept it into the cage from the doorstep to cut the deficit in half. 

After taking just one shot through the first three quarters, Virginia totaled four shots in the fourth period alone in a desperate attempt to bring the match even. UNC also had several scoring chances, but Jet Trimborn made five of her career-high seven saves in the fourth quarter to keep the margin at 2-1. That was until Ryleigh Heck scored her second goal of the match, weaving through the UVA defense and firing a shot that deflected off of a Virginia defender before finding the back of the cage. 

The Cavaliers responded with a goal less than two minutes later, as Laura Janssen deflected in a shot from Cato Geusgens to make it 3-2, but the Hoos were unable to find a third goal to complete the late rally as they were forced to watch the Tar Heels celebrate yet another ACC title. 

Annie McDonough, Adele Iacobucci, and Taryn Tkachuk earned ACC All-Tournament honors following the match. 

Virginia will learn its NCAA Tournament fate with the NCAA Championship Selection Show on Sunday at 10pm on NCAA.com. The tournament is set to begin on Friday, November 11th. 

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