Wake Forest Athletics
Field Hockey Travels To No.1-Ranked North Carolina
10/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 1, 2004
Winston-Salem, N.C. - The Wake Forest field hockey team heads to Chapel Hill Saturday for their third match-up with a No.1-ranked opponent in less than two weeks. The No.2-ranked Deacons are 10-1 heading into Saturday's 1 p.m. contest, while the Tar Heels are one of only two undefeated teams left in collegiate field hockey, with a perfect 12-0 record this season.
The Deacons are fresh off a 4-1 win against Appalachian State, a team that the Tar Heels shut out, 6-0. North Carolina rolled past Davidson, 4-0 on Tuesday evening. The Deacons crushed the Wildcats, 10-0, in the fifth game of the season. Other common opponents thus far on the schedule include Michigan, Iowa and Duke. The Tar Heels beat the Spartans, 3-1, Iowa in back-to-back games, 5-0 and 1-0, and Duke, 2-1. Wake Forest defeated Michigan 3-1, Iowa 3-2, but fell to Duke in overtime, 3-4.
In each of the last two meetings between Wake Forest and North Carolina, the Deacons have been the No.1-ranked squad, while the Tar Heels stood at No.2. In the Sept. 26th ACC-counted contest of last season, Wake Forest won, 2-1 in overtime. The Oct. 19th trip to Chapel Hill was also a 2-1 Deacon victory. The Tar Heels lead the all-time series 25-11-3. Wake Forest, however, holds a current seven game winning streak.
"We look forward to any game between North Carolina and Wake Forest," said head coach Jennifer Averill. "It's a longtime, friendly rivalry that brings out the best hockey in each team. Both teams are talented; it will be a matter of who capitalizes on the given opportunities tomorrow."
In the last two weeks, Wake Forest has knocked off two No.1-ranked opponents, the first team in Deacon history to do so. The Deacons went into East Lansing to spoil Michigan State's perfect season, in a 3-2 overtime game. The next time out, the Maryland Terrapins came to Kentner for their first loss of the season, a 3-2 decision for the Deacs. Only one other team in Deacon athletic history has played three No.1-ranked opponents in one season, the 1985-86 men's basketball squad. All three games resulted in Deacon losses.
Gametime is set for 1 p.m. in Chapel Hill, N.C. Saturday's game counts towards the regular season ACC standings; the Oct. 10 meeting in Kentner Stadium between the teams will not. Next Sunday's game will count towards the overall record and standings only.
Wake Forest hosts La Salle this Sunday in Kentner Stadium at 1 p.m.
