Van den Nieuwenhof Converts Stroke in Loss to No. 3 UNC

Friday, October 13

Syracuse, N.Y.

4 p.m.

Syracuse University

(9-4, 1-3ACC)

North Carolina

(10-2, 4-0ACC)

North Carolina

Syracuse

Van den Nieuwenhof Converts Stroke in Loss to No. 3 UNC

10/13/2023 6:36:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – For the fourth time in as many games, Syracuse University field hockey got a penalty stroke from senior co-captain Eefke van den Nieuwenhof, but the No. 13 Orange dropped a 4-1 decision to No. 3 University of North Carolina Friday afternoon at J.S. Coyne Stadium.

Syracuse (9-4, 1-3 ACC) got its 13th goal of the season from van den Nieuwenhof, who converted her NCAA leading sixth penalty stroke of the season. Syracuse out-shot the Tar Heels, putting four of its eight shots on goal.

North Carolina (10-2, 4-0 ACC) was backed by three saves from Maddie Kahn. Ryleigh Heck logged three points on one goal and one assist. Charly Bruder, Sanne Hak, and Katie Dixon notched goals.

How it Happened

After a stalemate first quarter in which both sides managed one shot, North Carolina struck first on a penalty corner from Bruder. Romea Riccard and Pleun Lammers were credited with assists, the former on the stick stop and the latter on the insert.
Six minutes later in the 25th minute, Hak was awarded a penalty stroke for her third goal of the season and a 2-0 UNC lead, which held up into halftime.
Heck added a goal for the Tar Heels in the 41st minute before assisting on the final UNC goal of the day on the Dixon goal in the 48th minute.
Down but still fighting, the Orange drove into the Tar Heel zone before a shot was impeded and a penalty stroke was awarded. Van den Nieuwenhof stepped to the penalty spot and finished her seventh career penalty stroke with 44 seconds showing on the clock.

Up Next for Syracuse

The No. 13 Orange continue a weekend of top-20 action this Sunday, heading down the road to Ithaca, New York.
Syracuse and No. 18 Cornell square off at 2 p.m. from Marsha Dodson Field, live on ESPN+. It is the second game of an in-season home-and-home series with the Big Red. Then-seventh-ranked Syracuse rallied past Cornell for a 4-2 win at J.S. Coyne Stadium in early September.