Stanford Falls to Tar Heels in Weekend Finale – Stanford Cardinal

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Summer Knight-Thompson’s second purpose of the season and 14 mixed saves from Daisy Ford and Anya Jackson highlighted a stellar effort for the Stanford subject hockey group because it fought exhausting in a 8-1 loss to No. 2 North Carolina on Sunday. 

“We weren’t physical enough today, we didn’t push for the fifty-fifty balls and we played too timid,” stated Susan Ewing York Director of Women’s Field Hockey head coach Roz Ellis. “The team is disappointed in their performance and sure we had our chances but we were way too inconsistent.”

Stanford, which had just a few probabilities to open the scoring early in regulation, did nicely to negate UNC’s press from the start, heading off almost the entire Tar Heel assaults towards purpose. Though Daisy Ford and her defensive corps battled in opposition to 11 pictures within the body, the Tar Heels struck first simply previous the 5 minute mark earlier than doubling their lead within the remaining three minutes of the primary quarter. 

With the Cardinal in search of a solution, Summer Knight-Thompson nabbed her second purpose of the season to chop into the deficit. Following a set of decisive passes from the Cardinal offense, Knight-Thompson discovered the ball contained in the circle and slashed a backhand previous the UNC goalkeeper to place the Cardinal on the board after UNC had elevated its result in three. 

Though Stanford continued to threaten offensively, UNC put two extra on the board as Ford and the protection as soon as once more fought off the Tar Heel siege with Ford accumulating three extra saves to complete the afternoon with seven on her account. 

Having entered the halftime break down 5-1, Stanford fought exhausting to restrict the Tar Heels within the third quarter as Anya Jackson stepped in reduction between the posts. With Jackson in lock step together with her protection, the sophomore goalkeeper earned six saves within the quarter because the Cardinal stored the Tar Heels to only one purpose within the body that got here proper firstly of the half. 

In the fourth, Stanford continued to battle, incomes a number of probabilities and alternatives to stab one again from the hosts. However, Stanford’s restricted alternatives together with a Natalie Hoppe shot in entrance have been negated by the Tar Heels. Defensively, Jackson and the protection continued to restrict the probabilities for UNC together with an acrobatic cease from Stanford’s sophomore goalkeeper late within the recreation as she completed with seven saves within the contest. 

“We have to put the 0-2 record behind in North Carolina,” stated Ellis. “We have a great team and we play great hockey and this week we are going to level up and make sure we are more consistent.”

Stanford is again in motion on The Farm subsequent week internet hosting Louisville and Virginia on Friday, September 26 and Sunday, September 28. First strike from Varsity Turf on Friday in opposition to the Cardinals is slated for five p.m. PT.