Field Hockey: No. 12 Virginia edged in OT by No. 1 North Carolina

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

The No. 12 Virginia field hockey team suffered a 3-2 overtime loss against No. 1 North Carolina on Friday at Turf Field in Charlottesville.

Virginia (6-11, 1-4 ACC) battled back from a 2-0 halftime deficit with a goal from sophomore striker Laura Janssen (Nijmegen, Netherlands) tying the game with 4:45 remaining in regulation.

The Tar Heels’ Erin Matson scored the game-winner 58 seconds into overtime.

After a scoreless first period, the top-ranked Tar Heels took a 1-0 lead by scoring on a penalty corner six minutes into the second quarter. Matson gave UNC (14-1, 4-0 ACC) a 2-0 lead by scoring a goal with 11 seconds left in the first half.

UVA began its comeback in the third quarter with sophomore midfielder Adele Iacobucci (Malvern, Pa.) deflecting in a shot by junior back Amber Ezechiels (Niew-Vennep, Netherlands) off a penalty corner. Janssen’s equalizer in the fourth quarter was also a deflection after a penalty corner, this time with sophomore back Cato Geusgens (Wassenaar, Netherlands) providing the initial shot.

North Carolina had possession to start the overtime period. Matson converted a pass from Paityn Wirth into a game-winning shot sailing cleanly into the back of the net 58 seconds into the extra period.