Field hockey looking to rebound after 7-0 loss

Never has a North Carolina field hockey team faced the scenario the 2008 squad is facing this week.

The No. 6 Tar Heels are hoping to rebound from a 7-0 loss at the hands of the No. 1 Maryland Terrapins with a solid performance against Old Dominion and Davidson this weekend in UNC's last action before postseason play begins.

The defeat was the second-worst in program history. But the largest — an 8-0 loss to Old Dominion in 1983 during UNC Hall of Fame coach Karen Shelton's third season — came in the NCAA Tournament" giving the Tar Heels an entire offseason to get the bad taste out of their mouths.

This time they get just one week. But Shelton said that is more than enough time for her players to put the loss behind them.

""I just read a quote from Dean Smith" and it said ‘When you make a mistake first you need to recognize it admit it learn from it and forget it"'"" Shelton said.

""I think it was a humbling experience. If not anything else"" we don't want that to happen ever again.""

Just as they have the last four games" they'll have to do it without leading scorer Danielle Forword who tore her ACL in a 2-0 loss to Boston College on Oct. 10 and is out for the rest of the season.

Since the Boston College game the Tar Heels had been impressive.

UNC won its next three games by a combined score of 7-1 its opponents' only goal coming in the first Forword-less game a 3-1 win against Yale.

Those wins also included contests against top-15 clubs Virginia and James Madison" making the transition to playing without Forword appear more seamless than even the most optimistic Tar Heel fan could have hoped.

""The weekend with Virginia and James Madison" we watched film on it and our two-touch passing was incredible senior Kate Scholl said. When we share the ball" we can do really amazing things.""

Fellow senior Britt van Beek agreed.

""When we start playing too individualistic is when we fall apart. That's what happened against Maryland and Boston College.""

The Tar Heels" who have secured the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament" could potentially face Maryland in the ACC Championship Game.

""There's no doubt in my mind that on another day we could beat that team"" Shelton said. I certainly think that will be motivation for us in that first (semifinal) game on Friday night.

""You know"" we would like to have another chance to play them because I think we were embarrassed. Hopefully we'll get that chance.""

But for now" Shelton and the Tar Heels have another team toward which to keep their focus.

UNC's match-up with the Monarchs in Norfolk Va. on Saturday will be its second against ODU of the season.

The Tar Heels took a 3-1 decision in Chapel Hill on Sept. 19 with a healthy Forword. The South African put nine shots on goal one more than the rest of the team combined and scored once.

Despite Forword's statistical dominance of UNC's offense" the Tar Heels' style in her absence has remained constant.

And Shelton hasn't let the loss of Forword stymie her lofty preseason expectations.

""I think that we're still one of the teams that can win a national championship.""



Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.