Box Score Photo Gallery (Patrick Shanahan)

ITHACA, N.Y. – UNC showed why it's the second-ranked team in the nation, using a potent offense and a solid defense to control the pace of play and defeat the Big Red field hockey team, 6-1, this afternoon on Marsha Dodson Field. With the loss, Cornell falls to 0-2 on the season.

“We knew it would be a tough game because North Carolina is an excellent team, but we were looking to test ourselves,” said head coach Donna Hornibrook. “We clearly did not have the mentality we wanted to have when the game started and we dug ourselves into a hole. The positive is that as the game progressed we got better and we can take something from that.”

Junior goalie Carolyn Horner made her first start of the season and registered a career-high 15 saves, many of which were of the spectacular nature, in the loss. Offensively, the Big Red earned its lone goal in the 29th minute of the first half when Hannah Balleza sent a centering pass towards goal and Brittany Thompson used her body to shield her defender while spinning and sending the ball into the net. In total, Cornell put all five of its shots on goal.  

The Tarheels received six goals from five different players, with reigning ACC Offensive Player of the Year Kelsey Kolojejchick registering a goal and an assist, while Loren Shealy had a team-high two goals. UNC put 21 of their 30 shots on goal and had a significant 8-2 advantage in penalty corners. Goalie Sassi Ammer finished with four saves and allowed one goal in the victory.

UNC (3-1) wasted no time getting on the board just 30 second into the contest when Jaclyn Guadioso Radvany beat her defender and streaked unmarked toward goal. Her initial shot was saved by Horner, but the rebound went right back to Radvany's stick and she didn't miss on the rebound.

Just over four minutes later,  Sinead Loughran scored in a very similar manner, putting in the ball off a saved rebound.

Shealy scored the first of her two goals in the 11th minute when she received a pass in the crease from Emma Bozek and stuck it in the near post.

Bozek then tallied a goal of her own when she tipped in a cross-crease pass from Kolojejchick.

UNC's first goal of the second half came in the 42nd minute when Shealy collected a loose ball off a sctum in front of the net and beat Horner wide.

The final goal of the game came in the final minutes after both teams had subbed liberally, as Kolojejchick tipped in Marta Malmberg's penalty corner shot.

The Big Red hits the road for a pair of games in the Keystone State. Cornell faces Bucknell on Wednesday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m., before taking on No. 9 Penn State on Sunday, Sept. 9 at 2 p.m.