With just over three minutes remaining, it appeared that No. 2 Syracuse (16-3) had tied up what was a 1-0 North Carolina lead. Jordan Page [10] scored on a drive from outside the circle, but North Carolina appealed. Video review, which was used for the first time in ACC tournament history, showed that the ball was not deflected inside the circle, and the call was reversed.
SU never did overcome the one-goal deficit, and fell to No. 3 North Carolina, 1-0, in ACC field hockey semifinal action.
Tar Heel forward Loren Shealy delivered a perfect cross pass to teammate Emily Wold in the 25th minute of Thursday’s game to break a 0-0 stalemate. Emily Wold hit the turf to deflect the ball into the back of the net for the deciding goal in the win over the second-seeded Orange.
In the closing efforts of the first half, Syracuse earned two penalty corners, but could not convert. The Orange was stuffed on two point-blank shots, and UNC’s stout defense cleared the ball in both occasions.
Tar Heel goalie Sassi Ammer played well, stopping seven on the night, including quick shots by Emma Russell [11]and Lauren Brooks [12] in the last minute of play. Syracuse earned one final penalty corner as time expired in the second half, but Ammer stopped a Leonie Geyer [13] shot and North Carolina cleared to clinch the victory.
Syracuse outshot UNC 9-5, and earned four penalty corners to North Carolina’s zero. The Tar Heel victory marked the first time since 2010 that SU field hockey has been shut out.
While UNC moves on to face No. 1 Maryland in the ACC Championship, Syracuse will wait for its seeding in the NCAA Tournament.
