CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Taking a break from conference play, the App State Mountaineers (5-3, 1-1 MAC) will gear up for a road battle with in-state foe and the defending national champion North Carolina Tar Heels (6-1, 2-0 ACC) on Sunday. First touch is slated for noon and can be streamed on the ACC Network Extra.
App State is 4-1 in games played away from Brandon & Erica M. Adcock Field this season and have won eight of their last nine regular season road games. The Mountaineers are averaging 2.6 goals per game through five road games this season.
This will be the seventh non-conference tilt this season for the Black & Gold, with the Mountaineers posting a 4-2 record through the first six games. App State has picked up wins against a Big East opponent, an Atlantic 10 opponent and a win over independent James Madison in non-conference play.
Bridget Donovan notched her first goal of the season against Miami on Friday, becoming the 14th Mountaineer to record a point this season. With Donovan's goal, 10 players have found the back of the net this season for the Black & Gold and 13 players have notched a point.
"The thing I love about this group is that they want to be held to a high standard," head coach
Emily Dinsmore said. "They love to be pushed and they are not satisfied with what we have accomplished thus far. That was the driving force at practice this week. They want to play the best teams and compete at the highest level."
The Matchup
- Who: App State at No. 2 North Carolina
- Where: Karen Shelton Stadium // Chapel Hill, N.C.
- When: September 24 // Noon
Last Time Out
The Mountaineers fell to Miami 4-1 on Friday in a 2022 MAC Championship rematch.
Addie Clark picked up four saves in the contest, giving her 25 for the season and 230 for her career. Coming into play on Sunday, Clark has allowed the fewest goals (11) of any MAC goalkeeper.
Bridget Donovan scored the lone Mountaineer goal in Friday's loss, earning a stroke in the fourth quarter and slapping the ball past the RedHawk goalkeeper. She became the 10th Mountaineer this season to score a goal.
Scouting the Mountaineers
App State has played well on the road this season, compiling a 4-1 record in games played away from Brandon & Erica M. Adcock Field. In those five games, the Mountaineers are averaging 2.6 goals and are allowing just 1.6 goals a game.
The Mountaineers sit atop the MAC Conference in both assists (18) and points (48) coming into play on Sunday. Junior
Sarah Perkins leads the team and the MAC Conference in assists with four, while four other players have recorded two or more assists.
Despite the loss last time out, head coach
Emily Dinsmore has her team off to the program's best eight-game start since 2019. Additionally, Dinsmore led the Black & Gold to its first conference-opening win last Friday for the first time since App State joined the MAC.
14 Mountaineers have recorded a point this season. Of those 14, 13 have recorded multiple points and 10 players have scored a goal.
Charlotte Bosma leads the Mountaineer offensive charge with 11 points.
After last Friday's five-point performance against Bellarmine,
Charlotte Bosma finds herself in the top five of multiple offensive categories in the MAC, including goals scored (T-4th), assists (T-2nd) and points (T-4th). The five points she scored against the Knights is tied for the most points a MAC player has recorded in a single game this season.
Scouting the Tar Heels
The No. 2 North Carolina Tar Heels come into this matchup with a 6-1 record and have won their last five games. The Tar Heels have played four ranked opponents this year, compiling a 3-1 record.
The Tar Heels are led offensively by freshman forward Charly Bruder, who leads the team in goals, points and shots. Maddie Kahn is the main goalkeeper for the Tar Heels and has allowed four goals and saved 20 shots on the season.
No. 2 North Carolina are being led by a new head coach for the first time since 1981 after Karen Shelton retired from the program in 2022. Erin Matson, who was a five-year player and a four-time national champion for the Tar Heels, took over as head coach in January and will look to follow in Shelton's footsteps.
Series History
App State and North Carolina will be meeting for the 25th time on Sunday and the first time since 2019 when the Tar Heels picked up a 4-1 win. North Carolina leads the all-time series against the Mountaineers 2-21-1.
Addie Clark,
Rachel Fleig and
Sarah Farrell are the only players on the active roster to have played against UNC in in their careers. Head coach
Emily Dinsmore has never coached against the Tar Heels but has been on the sideline for three matchups as a member of the Mountaineer staff.
Coach's Thoughts
"UNC historically has been the best team in the nation," Dinsmore said. "In order to be the best team, you have the play the best teams, and we'll have to play a full 60 minutes on Sunday and leave everything out on the field to come away with a win. If we give our best effort and play as a team, we will be successful."
Up Next
App State will continue a three-game road trip by traveling to Mount Pleasant, Mich., where they will take on the Central Michigan Chippewas next Friday. First touch from Christy Freese Field is set for noon and can be streamed on Chippewas All-Access.
