STANFORD, Calif. — Anya Jackson accrued 11 saves but a five-goal second half from the visitors was too much to overcome as the Stanford field hockey team suffered its first Atlantic Coast Conference loss of the season, falling to North Carolina on Friday night, 8-1.
Jackson, who recorded double-digit saves for the second time this season, earned eight of her eventual 11 saves in the first half before facing a season-high 28 shots through regulation. Offensively, Caroline Richard secured her second goal of the season late in regulation to break up the shutout bid for the Tar Heels.
“We were not up to our standards today,” said Susan Ewing York Director of Women’s Field Hockey Roz Ellis. “I am glad we got this one out of the way and we remain focused on making a statement in the ACC.”
Stanford (7-2, 0-1 ACC) showed strong in the first half, relying mostly on its penalty corner defense to stymie North Carolina (4-4, 1-0 ACC) through the majority of the opening frame. However, UNC snuck one through late in the first to take a one-goal lead through 15 minutes.
The Tar Heels doubled down in the second quarter in quick succession, forcing the Cardinal into a three-goal deficit with a pair of Coco Courtright tallies off of penalty corners midway through the frame. Though the Cardinal pressed onward into the attacking half, UNC shut down defensively to take the 3-0 lead into halftime.
Jackson’s eight first half saves kept the Cardinal in the match through 30 minutes as the junior goalkeeper was tested in the second half with 14 shots making their way towards the cage. UNC was able to put three in the back of the net in the third quarter while posting two more in the fourth to take an 8-0 lead late into regulation.
However, Stanford’s continuous pressure paid off as Richard snagged her second of the season off of the remnants of the Cardinal’s final penalty corner of the day. Richard, who claimed the remnants of a blocked shot inside the circle, slotted a backhanded swipe into the cage to break the shutout bid as the Cardinal could not muster a late flurry, falling 8-1.
“I am proud of the fact that we can still score at our most fatigued in the fourth quarter,” said Ellis. “It just shows that we have that fight and can have the ability to score in every moment of the match.”
Stanford is back in action to continue ACC play next week on the road. The Cardinal treks to Charlottesville, Va. for a bout against Virginia on Friday, October 2 before completing the weekend against Louisville on Sunday, October 4. First strike against the Cavaliers from UVA’s Turf Field is slated for 2 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. ET.