Stanford Falls to Top-Seeded Tar Heels

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Anya Jackson provided six saves but a second-half comeback was not in the works as the Stanford field hockey team fell in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Field Hockey Championships to No. 1-seeded North Carolina, 6-0. 

"This year we had a historic start, a historic win and qualified for ACC's for the third-straight year," said Susan Ewing York Director of Women's Field Hockey Roz Ellis. "This was a great season for us, but we want more. We will take some time to recover and then get back to work."

Holding the No. 7 rank natioanlly, North Carolina (12-6, 6-2 ACC) jumped out to an early lead on Tuesday morning, snatching the game-opening goal just over 30 seconds into the contest. However, the Cardinal defense kept the Tar Heels at bay for the remainder of the frame with the UNC tally proving the lone score of the opening frame. 

Stanford (10-8, 2-6 ACC), however, clawed back in the second quarter, amassing two shots during the frame while earning its first of four penalty corners. However, the Cardinal could not find the finishing touches in the frame as North Carolina grabbed two goals to end the half up by three. 

Having earned four saves in the second quarter, Jackson was once again tested often and early in the third as UNC struck first in the second half to take a 4-0 lead off its second penalty corner conversion of the day. UNC tacked on one late in the frame as Jackson recorded her sixth - and final - save of the game in the third. 

"Anya has been solid for us all season," said Ellis. "Today was tough with what UNC threw at us but in the end she made some great saves and our defense played well."

The Cardinal, though, did not go away quietly, firing two more shots toward the UNC cage while earning the lone two corners of the frame. However, UNC earned the last goal of the game, striking through on a penalty stroke as the hosts took the win, 6-0.