UNC field hockey's execution from the far post shuts down Delaware in first round of NCAA tournament

There's a particular position inside an opponent's circle that UNC field hockey seeks out in every game. It's a point of emphasis in every practice. 

“We harp on FFP,” senior forward Kennedy Cliggett said after the win over Wake Forest on Oct. 18. “To keep it PG-13, we'll say [it means] ‘far, far post.’”’

A "far, far post" goal occurs when a North Carolina player, positioned at the farthest goalpost from the main attack, receives a pass or rebound from the opposite side and sends the ball soaring over the goal line. 

During the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday, UNC's attention to the far post was evident in its 4-0 win over Delaware. No. 1-seeded North Carolina scored three from this position. By focusing on "FFP," the Tar Heels were able to adjust their style of attack after they wasn't able to execute on as many corners as usual. 

“We weren't as successful with the penalty corners today, but that actually, I think, is a blessing in disguise, because it made us work for it with open play goals,” head coach Erin Matson said. 

Throughout the game, the corner unit's rhythm fell out of sync. Sophomore forward Charly Bruder, who leads the ACC in scoring, found the Delaware defense stifling. She couldn't convert on her powerful wind-up shot.

Last week, Bruder's corner shots led North Carolina to its eighth consecutive ACC championship, scoring all five of her goals from penalty corner opportunities. 

With a lack of offensive production from both ACC Offensive Player of the Year Ryleigh Heck and Bruder, North Carolina had to switch it up. 

Rebounding and stationing a player on the far post is critical for second chance opportunities. If the ball doesn’t make it into the goal off the initial shot or is deflected by an opposing player, the threat is still present with someone there to recover it. Usually, it's an unguarded position. 

“It's just a space that's a non-negotiable to have a body there,” Matson said. “And when the ball falls, those are gimme goals, so we just need to be putting them away.”

To solidify the "FFP" mentality, the attack unit in practice always focuses on getting the ball back after the shot and being ready to grab the rebound in front of the goal. Not giving up on a play until a whistle blows helps the Tar Heels make sure they make every moment count. 

“Every time we have any drill or anything like that, we always harp on playing out the rebounds, playing out every situation,” fifth-year back Ciana Riccardo said. 

It translated to Friday's game. The first moment came in the opening quarter. Senior midfielder Jasmina Smolenaars propelled the ball from the left  baseline to an open Katie Dixon. Stationed at the far post behind the Delaware goalkeeper, the fifth-year back tapped it in when it came to her. 

Just minutes later, Delaware’s defense stopped a series of shots from a penalty corner. First, Bruder's shot was blocked. Then Cliggett's. But waiting on the opposite side of the goal from the main attack, an unguarded Riccardo recovered the wild ball and snuck it past the Blue Hens. 

“I don't normally see myself there, but I just know that when I do find myself in that role, I need to own it and make sure I can do everything in my power to get it in the back of the net,” Riccardo said. 

This opening round proved that the Tar Heels can score in a variety of ways when the normal scheme isn't working. They have scoring options. They have many different methods of executing. 

"We're pretty relentless," Matson said. "They are applying what we're doing in practice. They're just being hockey nerds in a way with always being nit-picky and trying to get better." 

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