Cards Host No. 1 North Carolina Friday, Travel to Wake Forest Sunday

Friday, October 11

LOUISVILLE, KY

3:00 PM

University of Louisville

North Carolina

Caroline Pusey looks to get the ball during the game against Stanford on September 20.

Photo by: Caleb Jones |University of Louisville Athletics

Cards Host No. 1 North Carolina Friday, Travel to Wake Forest Sunday

October 10, 2024 | Field Hockey

Cards play host to No. 1 North Carolina Friday, travel to Wake Forest Sunday

By: Lori Harmon

LOUISVILLE, Ky. –The University of Louisville field hockey team will return to Atlantic Coast Conference play this weekend when the Cardinals play host to top-ranked North Carolina Friday at 3 p.m. and then hit the road to take on Wake Forest Sunday at 1 p.m.

WEEKEND INFORMATION
No. 1 North Carolina at Louisville
Date/Time: Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, 3 p.m.
Location: Louisville, Ky.
Venue: Trager Stadium
Promotions: Cancer Awareness Day
Links: ACCNX Watch Link | Live Scoring
TRAGER STADIUM GAME DAY INFORMATION
Admission: Free | UofL Clear Bag Policy
Parking: Fans attending games held at the University of Louisville may utilize the Floyd Street Parking Garage located across from the Don Fightmaster Playground for a $5 fee

Louisville at Wake Forest
Date/Time: Oct. 13, 2024, 1 p.m.
Location: Winston-Salem, N.C.
Venue: Kentner Stadium
Links: ACCNX Watch Link | Live Scoring

CARDINAL QUICK HITS
• The matchup against top-ranked North Carolina will mark Louisville's fifth straight top-20 opponent with two of their last three games coming against top-five teams including No. 4 Ohio State and No. 3 Virginia.
• Louisville brings a 5-7 record and a 1-3 mark in ACC play into the weekend. The Cards have fallen short in their last four games by a one-goal margin and are sixth in the conference standings. Last weekend, the Cards fell 1-0 at No. 3 Virginia on Sunday following a 2-1 loss at No. 16 Syracuse on Friday.
• Rylie Wollerton leads the team with five goals and has added two assists for 12 points. Izzy Bianco follows with four goals and three assists for 11 points. A total of nine players have accounted for at least one of the Cardinals' 21 goals on the season with six players recording multiple goals.
• Brandelynn Heinbaugh and Emily Young have split goalkeeper duties thus far. Heinbaugh, a grad transfer from JMU has a 1.14 goals against average with wins against Penn and Stanford, while Young, a redshirt freshman, carries a 2.18 goals against average, earning the victories against American University, Cornell and Ball State.
• Izzy Bianco, Mia Duchars and Aimee Plumb were tabbed to the 2024 NFHCA Division I Watchlist.
• Aimee Plumb was named to the 2024 Preseason All-ACC team as voted on by the league's head coaches. The Cardinals were picked to finish in a tie for fourth in the preseason poll.
• The Cardinals' eight-game home slate features four ACC opponents including defending national champion North Carolina along with a non-conference showdown with NCAA runner-up Northwestern.

Scouting the Opponents
Louisville vs. North Carolina
Series History: North Carolina leads 12-6
Last Meeting: Sept. 15, 2023 - UNC won 2-0 in Chapel Hill
Scouting the Tar Heels: Defending national champion North Carolina enters the weekend with a perfect 8-0 overall record and leads the ACC standings with a 3-0 mark in league play. The Tar Heels have picked up conference wins over Syracuse, Stanford and Cal.
• Ryleigh Heck leads the ACC with 10 assists and Charly Bruder stands second in goals with 10 on the season.
• Abigail Taylor has started all eight games for the Tar Heels and carries a 0.443 goals against average, which ranks second in the ACC.
• The Tar Heels are coached by Erin Matson, the most decorated player in North Carolina field hockey history. She is in her second year as head coach after leading the Tar Heels to both ACC and NCAA Championships in her first year.

Louisville at Wake Forest
Series History: Wake Forest leads 14-10
Last Meeting: Oct. 6, 2024 - Louisville won 1-0 in a shootout at Trager Stadium
Scouting the Demon Deacons: Wake Forest enters the weekend with a 4-6 overall record with an 0-2 mark in ACC play prior to a Friday matchup at Duke.
• Lauren Storey leads the team with four goals while Mia Montag has posted two goals and four assists on the season.
• Ellie Todd has started all 10 games for the Demon Deacons and carries a 1.07 goals against average.
• Jennifer Averill is in her 33rd season as head coach where she has led the Demon Deacons to three NCAA championships and was awarded ACC Coach of the Year eight times.

UP NEXT
• Louisville will play host to No. 11 Duke in its home finale on Friday, Oct. 18. Following the game, the Cardinals will honor graduating seniors Filippa Niebuhr and Caroline Pusey. Fifth year seniors Mia Duchars, Aimee Plumb and Brandelynn Heinbaugh will also be recognized after their final regular season contest at Trager Stadium.