Since Carolina field hockey’s 2024 season ended with a stunning loss to Saint Joseph’s in the NCAA semifinals, the Tar Heels have looked like a team dead set on reclaiming the national title.
Now in year three under Erin Matson, UNC stands at 8-0 overall and 2-0 in ACC play heading into tonight’s game at #13 Wake Forest. Carolina, which sits at #2 behind defending champion Northwestern, already has wins over four ranked teams this season: #12 Michigan, #9 Iowa, #8 Princeton and #5 Liberty. So far,
Princeton is the only opponent the Tar Heels haven’t beaten by multiple goals – they’re outscoring opponents 37-8.
About one-third of Carolina’s goals have come from senior Ryleigh Heck, who became the first Carolina player in 10 years to score five times in a game during UNC’s 8-1 win over Stanford last weekend. She now sits third in the country with 12 goals on the year. Junior Charly Bruder, who has eight goals, and senior Virginia transfer Dani Mendez, who has five goals with a team-high seven assists, round out the top scorers for the Tar Heels.
Carolina has two goalkeepers alternating halves this season: fifth year Columbia transfer Katie Wimmer and true freshman Merritt Skubisz. Both are putting up excellent numbers, with Wimmer posting a 0.75 goals against average and an .824 save percentage (both top 10 marks nationally) and Skubisz carrying a 1.25 goals against average and a .750 save percentage (both top 25 marks nationally).
The second half of the Tar Heels’ schedule looks to be just as tough as the first; they’ll face #3 Virginia (Oct. 10), #16 Louisville (Oct. 12), #6 Syracuse (Oct. 17) and #7 Duke (Oct. 31) before the ACC Tournament. If UNC makes it to November without a loss, it will be the program’s second straight undefeated regular season and third in the last four years.
Tonight’s game at Wake Forest starts at 5 p.m. and can be streamed on ACCNX.
