COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Early offensive efforts and a tough North Carolina defense were too much for the 12th-ranked Stanford field hockey team to hold off, as the Cardinal fell 3-0 to No. 4 UNC in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. The appearance is the 15th in program history and the second time in five years that Stanford has faced the Tar Heels in the NCAA Tournament.
The first half saw the Tar Heels (18-5) come out of the gate blazing as they collected two penalty corners within the first three minutes that resulted in Eva van't Hoog putting in a shot after two stops by Kelsey Bing to make it a quick 1-0. The half belonged to UNC as the Tar Heels put up six shots to Stanford's two with penalty corners playing a factor as North Carolina capitalized on another in the 27th minute to make it 2-0 at the half.
"Congratulations to UNC for a game well played," stated Tara Danielson, "They came out of the gates strong and capitalized on their first opportunity. I felt we started on our back foot early and gained momentum as the first half progressed, however, we were not able to convert when it counted."
The second half saw the Cardinal come out composed while the defensive effort stepped up to limit UNC with Kelsey Bing firing up in the half for five incredible saves. The Tar Heel defense proved stalwart in its endeavors, allowing Stanford only one shot in the half. As the clock ran out, UNC was awarded a penalty corner which it was able to convert to pull the score to 3-0 to advance North Carolina to the NCAA Second Round.
"We are disappointed with the result today, but the successes of this season are numerous," added Danielson. "I am proud of this team and our seniors that represented Stanford well. For our young players, they will build off of this experience and will continue to move the Stanford program forward."
The loss closes the 2016 season for the Cardinal, which collected its first conference title since 2012 and first America East conference championship before advancing to its 15th appearance in the NCAA Tournament.