No. 12 Orange Fall to No. 2 UNC in ACC Semifinals

Wednesday, November 6

Winston-Salem, N.C.

1 p.m.

Syracuse University

(13-6)

North Carolina (1 Seed)

(17-0)

Syracuse

North Carolina

No. 12 Orange Fall to No. 2 UNC in ACC Semifinals

11/6/2024 4:32:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score Highlights

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Weathering 15 defensive penalty corners, the Syracuse University field hockey team, ranked 12th in the most recent NFHCA Coaches Poll, fell 3-1 against top-seeded North Carolina Wednesday afternoon in the semifinal round of the 2024 ACC Field Hockey Championship.

Syracuse (13-6) got on the board late as Sarah Smalley chipped in her second of the year. Netminder Louise Pert turned aside five of UNC's 17 total shots as the Orange withstood 15 Tar Heel corners, a season-high for second-ranked UNC.

North Carolina (17-0) scored its three goals on corners with a pair from Charly Bruder and the third from Pleun Lammers. Three different Tar Heels recorded assists on the first two goals. Abigail Taylor made two saves in the cage for North Carolina.

How it Happened

North Carolina took three shots in the first quarter, but only one was on cage as Pert made a save just 37 seconds into the Semifinal match.
The next two Carolina chances, both from Sietske Bruning, were blocked down by the Orange defensive penalty corner unit.
Syracuse got its first chance early in the second quarter as Aiden Drabick ripped a chance but Taylor made the save.
Bruder struck first in the 21st minute on a penalty corner with assists to Katie Dixon and Ciana Riccardo.
North Carolina picked up three more corners but two of those efforts were blocked by Syracuse flyers while Pert made a save on the third. Bruder added a second goal in the 29th minute on a diversion play as Jasmina Smolenaars zipped a pass across the circle for a 2-0 UNC lead at halftime.
The Tar Heels had three quick chances to start the third period with three shots and two corners.
Syracuse had a breakaway chance after the third corner was blocked out by the Syracuse defense, but Lana Hamilton's effort went just left of the goal.
In the 35th minute, UNC scored its final goal of the day. Bruder's initial shot was blocked but fell to Lammers in front who knocked in the goal.
In the 52nd minute of the game, the Orange defense jarred the ball free and set up a fast break as Phoebe Hall hit Drabick in stride, who then pushed ahead to Smalley who backhanded a shot as she fell to the ground for a 3-1 score.
Down but not out, Syracuse showed its heart as the Orange drove the baseline in the final five seconds of the game, flicking the ball off a UNC defender in the circle as time expired. After a challenge to determine if time was left, the officials could not overturn the no call and the game ended 3-1.

Up Next for Syracuse

The Orange await Selection Sunday as the NCAA announces its bracket for the upcoming Division I Field Hockey Tournament.
Selection Sunday is slated for a 10 p.m. start on NCAA.com.
Syracuse is looking for a berth in the NCAA Tournament for a fourth-straight year and second straight season under head coach Lynn Farquhar.