PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania field hockey team (0-2) rounded out their 2017 opening weekend hosting No. 1-ranked North Carolina (3-1) at Ellen Vagelos Field, but suffered a 3-1 loss on Sunday afternoon to close out Labor Day weekend. The contest marked the second of four-straight home contests for Penn to begin the season.

HOW IT HAPPENED
*The Tar Heels, making their second appearance at Vagelos Field in as many years, came out hard and fast to start the contest and earned five penalty corners in the first 17 minutes of the match.

*The visitors connected for two quick goals just 22 seconds apart to pull ahead for a 2-0 lead by the 18:32 mark in the first stanza. Meredith Sholder and Marissa Creatore earned the scores for UNC, with Shoulder's tally on a finish to the right post and Creatore's on a failed Penn defensive clear.

*The Tar Heels closed the half to pull ahead by a 3-0 margin when Megan DuVernois capitalized on a Creatore assist, striking home a shot off the post with less than four minutes left in the half.

*Penn came alive following intermission and outshot their opposition by a 4-3 margin in the second half. The Quakers got on the scoreboard off a beautiful corner execution in the 56th minute when Rachel Huang deflected an Alexa Hoover shot off the post to pull the hosts to within two at 3-1.

*Echoing their strategy from Friday's game against Rutgers, the Red and Blue once again pulled senior goalkeeper Liz Mata and played with junior defender Paige Meily as a kicking back to create an additional field player with 5:58 left to play in the game.

*The Quakers had golden opportunities in the waning minutes of the match with two penalty corners in the 68th and 69th minutes. A possible stroke for the Quakers was negated off a corner ruling and the contest came to a close with North Carolina holding on for the 3-1 victory.

*Senior goalkeeper Liz Mata tallied eight saves in the defeat while UNC's Amanda Hendry registered one for the win.

UP NEXT
Penn returns to action on Friday, September 8 when they host Delaware, the 2016 NCAA National Champions, on Ellen Vagelos Field. Game time is slated for 3:30pm.