Fourth-Ranked Cards Fall to No. 2 North Carolina

Friday, September 16

LOUISVILLE, KY

3:00 PM

University of Louisville

(6-1, 0-1)

NORTH CAROLINA

(7-0, 1-0)

North Carolina

Louisville

September 16, 2022 | Field Hockey

Box Score

By: Lori Harmon

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The fourth-ranked University of Louisville field hockey team fell 3-0 to No. 2 North Carolina in both teams' conference opener Friday at Trager Stadium.

The Cards (6-1, 0-1 ACC) will return to action on Sunday when they play host to Fairfield at 2 p.m. at Trager Stadium.

Louisville goalkeeper Sasha Elliott registered a season-high nine saves as the Tar Heels outshot the Cardinals 14-9. In the game, the Cards held a 6-1 advantage in penalty corners, but were unable to capitalize as the Tar Heels held (7-0, 1-0 ACC) them without a goal for the first time this season.

North Carolina delivered the first goal of the game midway through the first quarter when Ashley Sessa fired a shot to the right post.

Following a scoreless second quarter, the Tar Heels took a 1-0 lead into halftime after outshooting the Cards 5-0.

The Cardinals regrouped at the break, firing off three shots and earning the first penalty corner of the game in the first 10 minutes of the third quarter, but the Tar Heels struck again with a goal from Lisa Slinkert to increase the lead to 2-0 midway through the quarter.

North Carolina delivered the final goal of the contest in the opening minute of the fourth quarter when Paityn Wirth made the score 3-0.

NOTES:
• Louisville has now faced four opponents ranked in the top 15 and has registered a 3-1 record against those teams.
• The loss snapped Louisville's season-opening six-game win streak.
• The loss also stopped a five-game home win streak dating back to October 1, 2021. Prior to Friday, the last Louisville loss at home was on Sept. 19 to then-No. 2 Iowa – a 2-0 setback.
• The last time the Cardinals were shut out was on November 12, 2021 in a 1-0 overtime loss to Harvard in the first round of the NCAA tournament.