No. 1 UNC field hockey cruises past App State, 5-0

No. 1 North Carolina field hockey (10-0, 4-0 ACC) dominated App State (7-6, 4-1 MAC) in a 5-0 win at Adcock Field on Sunday afternoon.

In the first matchup in Boone since 2019, the Tar Heels claimed their tenth win of the season thanks to a masterful defensive performance and a late offensive onslaught led by sophomore forward Charly Bruder.

Both teams traded brief possessions for the first few minutes, before North Carolina’s offensive firepower overwhelmed the App State defense. Graduate midfielder Pleun Lammers was an excellent facilitator, racking up three assists on three of the five goals. Charly Bruder led the Tar Heels’ offensive charge with three goals, two of which occurred in the fourth period. 

UNC established a strong defensive presence throughout the game, holding App State to only three shots on goal all game. 

North Carolina controlled ball possession for the majority of the first period off of a series of penalty corners.

In the sixth minute, the Tar Heels broke the ice with Charly Bruder’s first goal of the game, on a sweeping assist from the corner by Pleun Lammers.

The last few minutes of the first period saw App State fight back and charge towards the North Carolina circle, but the UNC defensive unit remained stalwart against the Mountaineers' offensive attempts.

App State came out ready to respond in the second period, but on the following possession, Pleun Lammers found junior forward Ryleigh Heck wide open over the middle to put North Carolina up by two to start the second period.

The Mountaineers finally seized the chance to find the back of the blackboard after penetrating the Tar Heel defense, but App State midfielder Florine Koopman aimed high and the attempt soared above the cage.

UNC sought to end the half up three, with fifth-year midfielder Katie Dixon firing off a straight-on pass to Bruder in the 29th minute, who dialed up a shot attempt just off-target.

App State amped up its offensive intensity coming out of the halftime locker room, and were awarded their first penalty corner of the game in the 36th minute. App State senior forward Charlotte Bosma released a shot attempt off the corner, but missed the mark to the right of the cage.

The following minute, junior midfielder Sietske Brüning crept close inside the App State circle for her fourth shot attempt, but was immediately rejected by App State senior goalkeeper Claire Grenis. A flurry of blocked shots ensued as Grenis established her inside presence.

The Tar Heels snuck in a goal just before the buzzer to end the third period up three with junior midfielder Molly Catchpole’s third goal of the season.

Charly Bruder was the star of the fourth period, scoring two back-to-back goals to put the Tar Heels up by five, assisted by Lammers and Heck.

In the fourth period, App State was awarded a series of penalty corners, resulting in a few close calls, but no late-game heroics for the Mountaineers.

The Tar Heels return to Karen Shelton Stadium against Wake Forest on Friday night at 6 p.m.

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