The No. 2 UNC field hockey team (6-1, 2-0 ACC) defeated No. 17 Wake Forest (3-3, 0-1 ACC) on Friday 3-0 in Winston-Salem.
The evening match was the Tar Heels' first road ACC match of the season. They set the tone early by pressing far out with their forwards and not letting the Demon Deacons get past the center line.
UNC dominated the first quarter and collected three penalty corners, none of which resulted in goals. By the end of the period, the Tar Heels had five total shots with three of those on goal.
Last Friday against Louisville, North Carolina only had three penalty corners as a team.
Early on in the second quarter, the Demon Deacons flipped the switch. Wake Forest attacked the UNC defense, trying not to lose the ball in their offensive zone. The Demon Deacons fired off three shots, two of which were on goal.
The last five minutes of the first half went back to the control of the Tar Heels. With 3:32 remaining, senior midfielder Katie Dixon tapped in a goal on the doorstep from a pass from junior midfielder Jasmina Smolenaars.
Going into the half, the Tar Heels accounted for eight shots, four on goal, and five corners.
Midway through the third quarter, Wake Forest set up their second and third corners of the match. North Carolina’s graduate goalkeeper Maddie Kahn made three saves to preserve the Tar Heels' 1-0 lead.
In the fourth quarter, UNC drew their eleventh penalty corner of the match. Wake Forest in their previous three matches against William & Mary, James Madison, and Appalachian State only allowed a total of 10 penalty corners. This was the most penalty corners the Demon Deacons had allowed in a match this season.
