No. 5 North Carolina Edges No. 8 Louisville 3-2 in ACC Field Hockey Quarterfinals

Thursday, November 3

Winston-Salem, N.C.

11:00 AM

University of Louisville

(15-5, 3-4ACC)

North Carolina

(16-4, 4-3ACC)

North Carolina

Louisville

No. 5 North Carolina Edges No. 8 Louisville 3-2 in ACC Field Hockey Quarterfinals

November 03, 2016 | Field Hockey

Box Score North Carolina 3 - Louisville 2

Cards lose heartbreaker on a penalty corner after time expired

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Lauren Moyer's penalty corner goal after time expired lifted No. 5 North Carolina to a 3-2 win over Louisville in the quarterfinals of the ACC Championship on Thursday afternoon. The eighth-ranked Cardinals built a 2-0 lead, but it wasn't enough as fifth-ranked North Carolina scored three goals in the second half including the game-winner with no time left on the clock.

Louisville (15-5) will learn its NCAA tournament fate when the field is announced on Sunday at 10 p.m. (ET) on NCAA.com.

The Cardinals got on the scoreboard early after senior Erin McCrudden earned the first corner of the game in the fifth minute of play. The All-ACC second team member inserted the ball and junior Marigrace Ragsdale provided the stop for junior Abby Grimes who rifled a shot past UNC goalkeeper Alex Halpin. The junior's first goal of the season gave Louisville a 1-0 lead.

The Cards struck again when All-ACC second team member freshman MInout Mink dribbled the ball to the baseline and maneuvered to the right post where she slipped a shot past Halpin for her team-best 15^th goal of the season.

UofL took the 2-0 lead into halftime despite UNC holding a 4-2 advantage in shots and a 3-1 edge in corners.

The teams battled through 15 scoreless minutes in the second half before the North Carolina got on the scoreboard. Moyers dribbled into the circle and sent a shot to the far post to pull the Tar Heels within a goal at the 50:35 mark.

The Cards had a scoring opportunity two minutes later, but Mink's penalty corner shot sailed wide. The Tar Heels gained possession and countered with a pair of shots, but Louisville sophomore All-ACC goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran turned back both attempts and the defense held UNC at bay.

With just over seven minutes remaining in the game, the Tar Heels lifted Halpin in place of an extra field player and continued to attack. The substitution paid off when Moyer connected on a cross from Emma Bozek to even the score at 2-2 with less than six minutes remaining in the game.

A yellow card issued to North Carolina's Marissa Creatore at the 65:43 mark meant that Louisville would finish the game with a player advantage on the field. The teams continued to battle until a penalty corner was awarded to the Tar Heels in the final seconds of regulation. The corner was played out with no time remaining on the clock and Moyer used assists from Gab Major and Julia Young to score the game-winning goal.

No. 5 North Carolina (15-5) advances to the semifinals to face No. 1 Duke.

"Obviously we're very disappointed with the result," said UofL head coach Justine Sowry. "We put together a good first half. To have a 2-0 lead on a team like North Carolina, you're in a great position. In the second half, we started well, but North Carolina came at us and we did not respond well. We didn't work as hard as we did in the first half. Carolina was relentless in their pursuit to win the game and we were not – and that was the difference. That's the mentality that we have to be able to bring if we get an opportunity in the NCAA tournament."

NOTES: Minout Mink now owns the record for most goals as a freshman in Louisville's program history. She also ranks seventh on the school's single season list for goals.