LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The North Carolina field hockey team claimed its 20th Atlantic Coast Conference championship in program history Sunday afternoon, defeating host Louisville 1-0 at Trager Stadium. Junior Malin Evert scored the game-winner in the 19th minute of play and the Tar Heel defense held on to earn its second shutout in as many games, the seventh of the season.
With the win, No. 6 UNC (16-4) earns the ACC's automatic berth in the 2017 NCAA Championship field, which will be announced Sunday at 10 p.m. on NCAA.com.
"I told the team it was fitting for a Carolina team to get our 20th ACC Championship with a defensive battle like that one and earn the shutout against a very good Louisville team," said UNC coach Karen Shelton, a defender in her playing days who emphasizes the defense-first mentality with her teams.