'With each other, for each other': Unbeaten UNC field hockey downs Duke on Senior Day

"With each other, for each other."

That's the motto for the No. 1 North Carolina field hockey team this season, and that's exactly what it did in a 5-2 win over No. 4 Duke to remain undefeated at 16-0.

With a great offensive performance by the team, UNC sent off six players with a victory in its last regular season game at Karen Shelton Stadium — Malin Evert, Morgan Goetz, Mary Kathryn Harrah, Ashley Hoffman, Eva van’t Hoog and Leila Evans. 

“It is important for the program and important for us seniors to make our mark," Evans said. “It is a great win going into the postseason. It is always a great day to win, always a good day to be a Tar Heel.”  

Early on, the matchup seemed to mirror the one the Tar Heels and Blue Devils had on Sept. 21 at Jack Katz Stadium. That game provided low scoring with strong defense, allowing the Tar Heels to win, 2-0. 

But the win on Senior Day was far from a low-scoring affair.

The first goal was not scored until the 20th minute, when Megan DuVernois was awarded a penalty stroke, which she shot above the goalkeeper and into the net. 

With a minute remaining in the first half, first-year standout Erin Matson scored an unassisted goal, which deflected off a defender and into the net to give her team a 2-0 edge. 

Although it seemed like that goal would be the last of the half, Duke’s Caroline Andretta responded with a score of her own. It marked just the ninth goal an opponent has scored on North Carolina all season. 

With a fragile 2-1 lead at halftime, head coach Karen Shelton had a message for her team.  

“We told them they were going to have to work hard for this win, and they were going to have to gut it out," Shelton said. “It was very disappointing to give up a goal ... We pride ourselves on, after every time we score, we want to focus on the next two minutes because teams get energized when they are scored on."

Shortly after play resumed, Catherine Hayden scored in the 38th minute to give her team a 3-1 lead — and bring the game back within the team's control. Hoffman passed the ball to Matson, who then transferred it on to Marissa Creatore who fired it to Hayden for the score. 

"It was just nice for everyone to get a touch on the ball because it really was a team work goal," Hayden said. "I finished it but that was a team goal completely.”  

The Blue Devils would not go down without a fight, though. In the 43rd minute, they responded with a goal of their own to cut the lead to one. 

The Tar Heel offense continued to push. Fifty-three seconds after the goal, first-year Hannah Griggs scored her second goal of 2018 to make it a two-score lead.  Then, in the 50th minute, Hoffman scored in her last regular season home contest to make it 5-2. That goal also capped off the victory for the Tar Heels. 

This year's senior class achieved a lot in its four years at UNC. The seniors won two ACC Championships and reached the NCAA Final Four every season since coming to Chapel Hill.  

With the win, North Carolina remains undefeated on the season with one regular season game left. Even though the team has had much success this season, its main focus is to finish the campaign strong.  

“That was our second to last game and that was a big hump for us to get over," Hayden said. “Playing Duke again — it is hard to beat a team twice, especially such a good team."  

After the win, the team members put on their "With each other, for each other" t-shirts again to celebrate. 

In order to continue the success, that's exactly what they'll need to do: play for each other. 

@TorreNetkovick

@DTHSports | sports@dailytarheel.com