Ciana Riccardo's leadership guides UNC to eighth consecutive ACC championship

WINSTON-SALEM — UNC practiced a new attack strategy for penalty corners one day before the ACC championship. 

Then, the North Carolina field hockey team watched it come to life in the second quarter against Boston College. 

Fifth-year Ciana Riccardo inserted the ball to senior back Kelly Smith. Smith passed left to sophomore forward Charly Bruder. Instead of taking the shot as she normally would, Bruder passed it behind her to junior midfielder Sietske Brüning. 

Brüning rocketed the ball back to where Riccardo was waiting, about two feet away from the goal. The shot went straight into the back of the net, in between the Eagles' defenders and goalkeeper. 

The newly-learned decoy worked.

The APC bag of tricks gets even deeper 🤯 pic.twitter.com/gf8Ib39VY7

— UNC Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) November 8, 2024

Riccardo’s first goal of the season propelled the Tar Heels to a 4-1 victory over Boston College on Friday afternoon. After the match, the team lifted its eighth consecutive ACC championship trophy into the air. Riccardo’s impact on the team over the past five years often goes unnoticed on the scorecards. Even though she is one of the primary on-ball defenders, she likes to stay out of the spotlight. And yet, Riccardo is a role model for the team and often provides the voice the Tar Heels need to hear. 

Sometimes, she even hears the voice she provides inside her head. 

Riccardo is the team’s go-to player for inserting penalty corners, an area in which UNC are prolific this year. North Carolina ranked fifth in the country in corners per game, averaging almost nine. As of Nov. 10, North Carolina is ranked second in corners per game and averages slightly above nine.

As for what she’s saying to herself?

“‘Get it to Kelly,’” Riccardo said, is the mantra repeating over and over again in her head.

And she often does. But against the Eagles, the end goal was just slightly different. The team set up the moment for her. Riccardo would have the spotlight.

“That set a huge wave of momentum through the rest of the game, when she put that goal away, because everyone was just so thrilled,” head coach Erin Matson said. 

The coaching staff wanted to pull off something no one had seen before. After they introduced the play during practice on Thursday, Matson said she believed Riccardo could make the goal. 

In addition to Matson, there’s another voice on the coaching staff that always has full confidence in Riccardo: her older sister Romea. The former player joined the coaching staff this season after holding Ciana’s current position for the past five seasons. 

“Before, I definitely took her under my wing,” Romea Riccardo said. “Where[as] this year was kind of her year to shine as a leader and kind of break out of her shell. And I think she's flourished in that way.”

Her teammates share the same thoughts.

As an underclassmen, Bruder feels calmer after hearing Riccardo’s voice in a stressful situation. Fifth-year midfielder Katie Dixon said Riccardo is one of the most respected presences on the field. 

Still, Riccardo does not usually feel confident when attacking in the circle. But on Friday, it was different.

Going into the championship game, Matson pulled her aside to talk and instilled all the confidence she needed to succeed. 

“Getting the ball wasn't the main problem, it was just keeping cool the whole time,” Riccardo said. 

Her teammates and coaches alike agree that she balances everything North Carolina field hockey represents: laughs paired with the times to be serious and leadership through example and words.

It’s an environment that she has helped to build and has no intention of giving up on leading into NCAA championship play. 

Riccardo wears number eight on the field. Friday's trophy marked eight championships in a row for the Tar Heels.

In Matson’s eyes, the connection is clear. 

“She deserves that.” 

@aplancaster_

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com