Sports > October 4, 2007

By Hailey Robbins | Staff writer

The No. 4 Demon Deacons were shutout by the No. 1 University of North Carolina and toppled No. 5 Michigan State and Appalachain State, to finish the week with a 7-4 record.

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Junior Minou Gimbrere maneuvers around a UNC-Chapel Hill player in the game Sept. 29. The Deacs lost 5-0 to the No. 1 Tar Heels. (Andrew Imboden/Old Gold & Black)

With over 1,300 fans watching the Deacons Sept. 29 at Kentner Stadium, UNC-Chapel HIll led the Deacons 4-0 at halftime, cementing their undefeated season record.

In the first minute of play, UNC offensive player Rachel Dawson scored off a penalty corner to give the Tar Heels the lead.

The Deacons immediately kicked in with demon-like fervor and fired off four shots at the Tar Heels’ goalie Brianna O’Donnell, which were blocked.

Partially through the first half, the Tar Heels increased their lead 3-0 with goals by Britt van Beek and Alli Tanner. Toward the close of the first half, the Tar Heels midfielder Illse Davids added another tally to the scoreboard.

Deacon freshman goalie Alex Mann kept her cool under pressure when the Tar Heels’ Melanie Brill was awarded a penalty stroke, blocking the shot, one of her four career saves in her first starting game.

“After the first half, there was a lack of cohesiveness. We were afraid, and played passive. After the (Maryland game) I expected far more from (these girls)” said Head Coach Jen Averill.

Two minutes into the second half, junior Liz Fries shot wide, which was recovered by the Tar Heels defense, and added another goal, making the score 5-0 on a breakaway. “We had to stay focused, and take (the second half) as a new game, we knew we were losing, but couldn’t get down on ourselves” said sophomore Raisa Schiller.

The Deacons out shot the Tar Heels 19-10, with senior Chelsea Cipriani and junior Michele Kasold each claiming four shots, sophomore Aileen Davis and junior Minou Gimbrere each putting forth three shots.

Within the first minutes of the Michigan State game, Davis and sophomore Melissa Martin both offered shots, which were blocked by Michigan State goalie Elissa Unger.

Recovering quickly from the loss a day prior to Chapel Hill, Kasold scored in the first half to give the Deacons a 1-0 lead. “I told the girls to liken themselves to a computer. They needed to empty the recycle bins, get rid of the trash from the day before and get ready to fight,” said Averill.

The goal, scored on the 33:36 mark, came after the Deacons’ third straight corner. After a pass from Gimbrere, Kasold found the back of the cage, granting the Deacons the lead.

Mann then denied the Spartans as Geraldine Raynor shot, ending the first half with the Deacons in the lead.

Although the Deacons opened the second half with a 10 minute scoreless period, Michigan State fired off shots at Mann, which were blocked by Davis, Gimbrere, Schiller and freshman Liza Castella.

At the 67:35 mark, Cipriani shot from a pass on the left side, scoring and cementing the Deacon victory.

In her second career start, goalie Mann gained her first shutout in the Sept. 30 game against No. 5 Michigan State, with a total of seven saves for the game and 11 for the weekend, two of which were in one versus one play.

“The UNC game was a rough initiation for my first career start. We as a team really needed to win against Michigan State. I really needed to win and play well for myself. It never occured to me until after the game I had my first shutout. I was a lot more calm for the Michigan State game,” Mann said.

With yet another win under their belts, the Demon Deacons came out full force against unranked Appalachian State, beating them in a 5-0 shutout on Oct. 3.

Junior Liz Fries opened the game with the first goal. Less than a minute later, sophomore Regina Shannon added another goal.

Sophomore Hilary Moore, Gimbere and Cipriani also scored.

“We had barely finished singing the fight song before they had scored again. This happened on two occasions,” said one of the Deacons’ diehard fans.

Next the field hockey team looks to topple the University of California, Pacific and Sanford the week of Oct. 12.