Delaware Takes Home National Title
Tim McDonnell
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NORFOLK, Va. (November 20, 2016) – The University of Delaware Blue Hens made history on Sunday afternoon, outlasting North Carolina, 3-2, to capture the 2016 NCAA Field Hockey Championship.
Blue Hen sophomore Greta Nauck yet again came through for her team in clutch fashion, scoring her second goal of the day with just under six minutes remaining to break a 2-2 tie and send Delaware to the victory at Old Dominion's L.R. Hill Complex. Delaware is the sixth CAA field hockey team to ever win the top trophy in Division I and the first conference Olympic team to win an NCAA Championship outright since 2000.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
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Delaware (23-2), which advanced to the title game with a 3-2 win over No. 14 Princeton on Friday night, is the first Blue Hen team to capture a national title since Delaware football won the NCAA FCS crown in 2003. Coach Rolf van de Kerkhof’s 2016 squad is also the first UD women's athletic team to claim a national title since the women's lacrosse squad won its third straight national title in 1983.
The Hens jumped out to a 2-0 lead over the Atlantic Coast Conference champion Tar Heels (20-6) after the first half of play. Nauck scored just 9:32 into the game and senior Meghan Winesett scored with 5:11 left before the break.
North Carolina struck early in the second half, pulling to within 2-1 on a goal by Lauren Moyer just 2:50 in to the period. UNC then tied it up when Megan DuVernois found the back of the net with 7:24 remaining.
Just a few minutes later, Nauck took a long pass from the right side from junior Taylor Lister and tipped in a shot past UNC goalkeeper Shannon Johnson with 5:56 left to play. The goal was Nauck's school-record 33rd of the season.
Delaware managed to hold on as the contest winded down and a wild celebration at midfield ensued.
2016 was magical for the Blue Hens, to say the least. The team won its fourth consecutive CAA Championship earlier this month and capped an incredible fall by winning its final 19 games since mid-September. Delaware outscored its opponents by an incredible 100-39 margin over the course of the season.
The CAA is now a perfect six-for-six in NCAA Field Hockey National Championship games all-time. Former conference member Old Dominion won the title four times, including the last previous conference National Championship in 2000. James Madison won its only field hockey National Title in 1994.
2016 NCAA Field Hockey Championship
Friday, November 18: No. 4 North Carolina 2, No. 6 Connecticut 1 (OT)
Friday, November 18: No. 8 Delaware 3, No. 14 Princeton 2
Sunday, November 20: No. 8 Delaware 3, No. 4 North Carolina 2