ITHACA, N.Y. -- No. 2 North Carolina scored three goals in a three-minute span of the second quarter and rolled to an 8-1 victory over Cornell on Sunday afternoon at Marsha Dodson Field. The Tar Heels, the 2023 NCAA champions, improved to 14-1 on the season, while the Big Red dropped to 9-4.
The Tar Heels converted three penalty corners and a stroke among their eight goals, outshooting the Big Red 27–7 and holding a 17–3 edge in corners. North Carolina scored at least once in each quarter and built a 4-0 halftime lead.
Senior goalkeeper
Jane McNally made five saves in the first half for Cornell, while sophomore
Tayla Williams stopped three more in the second. Freshman
Ella Kaplan scored her first collegiate goal in the 46th minute for the Big Red, firing in a brilliant score from the left-hand side to make it 6-1.
UNC's Charly Bruder opened the scoring less than a minute in on a penalty corner and later added an assist, while Kara Heck tallied two goals and one assist. Ryleigh Heck added a goal and two assists, and Dani Mendez, Sanne Hak, Reese Anetsberger and Coco Courtright also scored goals for the Tar Heels.
Cornell earned three corners on the day and had four shots on goal - including two from sophomore Uma Käding - but couldn't overcome UNC's balanced attack.
QUOTABLE
"First of all, hats off to North Carolina - they're an outstanding team, incredibly well-coached and organized, and they played a great game today. We didn't execute our game plan well enough over the first three quarters and have to be better in those moments. I'm really happy for Ella Kaplan getting her first career goal - that's a big step for her and something she'll always remember. Now it's about learning from this weekend and moving forward on Friday against Dartmouth." -- Andy Smith, Head Coach of Cornell Field Hockey
GAME NOTES
• Cornell is now 0-2 all-time against North Carolina.
• The Big Red dropped its second straight game of the weekend, both against teams ranked in the top six nationally.
• Ella Kaplan scored her first career goal, the 14th different player to score a goal this season for the Big Red.
• Jane McNally made all five of her saves in the second quarter, while Tayla Williams stopped three shots in the third.
• Kading put both of her shots on goal, including a rocket shot on a penalty corner in the first quarter that was saved brilliantly by UNC's Katie Wimmer that would have tied the game at 1-1.
NEXT UP
• Cornell remains at home for a key Ivy League contest against Dartmouth on Friday, Pct. 24 at 6 p.m. at Marsha Dodson Field.
• The contest will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
• The two programs have split 45 previous meetings right down the middle - the series is tied 22-22-1.
• Cornell has had the best of it recently, winning 11 consecutive contests between the squads, including a 3-1 victory last September.
