Cardiac 'Cuse Clinches Championship Berth - Syracuse University Athletics

Wednesday, November 4

Chapel Hill, N.C.

1 p.m.

Syracuse University

(10-6, 4-4)

Four-Seed North Carolina

(12-6, 6-2)

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Final F
Syracuse	0	2	0	0	0	0	1	3
North Carolina	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2

Highlights Press Conference

11/4/2026 4:45:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score ACC Championship Central Highlights Press Conference Photo Gallery

Goin, King Play Heroes in Shoout

No. 16 Syracuse University field hockey withstood a 22-shot barrage from seventh-ranked North Carolina and won 3-2 (3-1 SO) in a shootout Wednesday at Karen Shelton Stadium, punching its ticket to the ACC Championship game. It marked Syracuse's first win over the Tar Heels at UNC's home field in series history a well.

Sammie Goin buried the clinching attempt in the fourth round of the shootout, and Tane King slammed the door after Ryleigh Heck converted North Carolina's opening try, stopping three straight Tar Heel shooters. Taylor Bigbie and Hattie Madden also converted for the Orange, sending Syracuse to its first ACC title game since 2015.

Syracuse (11-6) got regulation goals from Hattie Madden, her seventh of the season, and Aubrey Turner, who reached double figures with her 10th. Both goals were unassisted. Jessie Eiselin made three saves in the first half before King took over and stopped five shots without allowing a goal through the second half and overtime. Bigbie and Karsin Beatty each added a defensive save.

North Carolina (12-7) got goals from Jenna Narleski, her first of the season, and Charly Bruder, her 16th. Sofia Ferri and Reese Anetsberger each picked up an assist. Bruder fired 11 shots, eight on goal. Tessa Shahbo did not record a save in goal for the Tar Heels, while Merritt Skubisz came on for the shootout, where Bo Madden's attempt was the only Orange miss.

How it Happened

North Carolina came out pressing, earning two penalty corners in the first five minutes. Eiselin turned away Bruder in the fifth minute to keep the first quarter scoreless as the Tar Heels outshot the Orange 4-0 in the period.
Eiselin made two more saves in the second quarter, stopping Anetsberger in the 16th minute and Bruder in the 19th, while Bigbie made a defensive save on another Bruder attempt in the 17th minute.
Hattie Madden broke the deadlock in the 20th minute, scoring unassisted for a 1-0 Syracuse lead.
North Carolina answered less than two minutes later. Off a penalty corner in the 22nd minute, Ferri set up Narleski for the equalizer.
Turner restored the lead in the 25th minute. Her first attempt was turned away by a Grace Pottebaum defensive save, but Turner scored four seconds later to make it 2-1.
Bruder pulled the Tar Heels even in the 30th minute on a feed from Anetsberger, and the teams went to halftime tied 2-2.
King entered in goal to start the second half and was tested in the 45th minute, saving shots from Narleski and Bruder. A North Carolina goal was overturned on video referral and a penalty corner was awarded instead, and King stopped Bruder again on the ensuing corner to keep the game level.
Syracuse's defense blocked shots on back-to-back North Carolina corners in the 52nd and 53rd minutes.
The Tar Heels had a golden chance in the 58th minute, but Heck's penalty stroke went wide. Thirty seconds later, Beatty made a defensive save on Bruder.
Bo Madden was shown a green card in the final seconds of regulation, but the Orange held on to force overtime.
King made two more saves in overtime, denying Molly Catchpole in the 66th minute and Bruder in the 72nd. Hattie Madden had Syracuse's lone overtime shot, which went wide, and Ally Snyder was shown a green card in the 74th minute.
In the shootout, Heck scored first for North Carolina before King stopped Anetsberger, Bruder and Dani Mendez in succession. After Bo Madden's opening miss, Bigbie, Hattie Madden and Goin converted consecutive attempts to send the Orange through.

By the Numbers

North Carolina held a 22-5 edge in shots, 12-3 in shots on goal and 8-2 in penalty corners.
Syracuse scored on two of its three shots on goal.
Syracuse goalkeepers combined for eight saves, with King adding three stops in the shootout.

Up Next

Syracuse advances to the ACC Championship game, where the Orange will face the winner of the next ACC semifinal between seventh-seeded Virginia and sixth-seeded Boston College.
Friday's ACC Championship game is slated for a 3 p.m. start at Karen Shelton Stadium.
ACC Network will be on hand for the title bout with Leah Secondo and Suzanne Bush on the call.