Box Score CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The ninth-ranked Saint Joseph's field hockey team saw an historic season come to an end on Sunday afternoon as the Hawks fell to top-ranked and top-seeded hosts North Carolina, 5-2, in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament at Karen Shelton Stadium.  By virtue of their victory, the Tar Heels will head to the Final Four in Storrs, Connecticut.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• North Carolina (19-0) controlled the first quarter, finally breaking through on a goal by Paityn Wirth with 5:23 to go in the period to take the lead.
 
• Erin Matson tallied two goals less than two minutes apart late in the first half to give the Tar Heels some breathing room.
 
• Just 21 seconds into the second half, Matson finished off her hat trick on a penalty stroke.
 
• Saint Joseph's (16-5) got on the board shortly thereafter, as Leigh James followed her own rebound to net her seventh of the season with 14:05 to go in the third to make it 4-1.
 
• It would stay that way until the 11:17 mark of the fourth, when Ashley Sessa restored the four-goal lead for UNC.
 
• Sol Borensztein closed out the scoring midway through the fourth as she dribbled down the baseline and beat UNC's Kylie Walbert.
 
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Robin Bleekemolen made six saves on the day for SJU, while Walbert made three in 30 minutes of relief.  Abigail Taylor got the start for the Tar Heels and didn't face a shot in the first half.
 
• UNC held a 19-5 shot advantage and earned six corners to three for the Hawks.
 
• The defeat ends an historic 2022 campaign for Saint Joseph's, which finished the season with its highest end-of-season ranking in program history and recorded its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory.