Mountaineers Host No. 1 North Carolina in Return to Boone

The App State field hockey team takes on No. 1 North Carolina on Sunday at noon. The Mountaineers (7-5, 4-1 MAC) are looking to get back in the win column, previously falling to Miami last Friday. The Mountaineers will play North Carolina (9-0, 4-0 ACC) in Boone for the first time since 2019, and is the first game played in the High Country in 30 days.
 
The Matchup

• Who: App State vs #1 North Carolina
• Where: Dr. Jan C. Watson Field at the Brandon & Erica M. Adcock Field Hockey Complex // Boone, N.C.
• When: October 13 // Noon

 
Last Time Out
The Mountaineers fell to the Miami Redhawks to a score of 0-1 last Friday. The Mountaineers held firm in the contest, limiting scoring chances for a Miami squad that averages eight shots on goal a game. Friday's loss against Miami was the Mountaineers first loss in the MAC.
 
Scouting the Mountaineers  
The Mountaineer offense has been stellar to begin the season, as they are third in the MAC in goals scored with 25. The Mountaineers lead the MAC in shots and penalty corners, putting pressure on defenses in the attack zone. Charlotte Bosma is second in the MAC with 30 shots on goal and is first in the conference in shots with 45.  
 
App State's defense has been stellar as well, not allowing many shots to be attempted. The Mountaineers have allowed 104 shots in 12 games, 127 less than the 231 the Mountaineers have attempted. Per game, the Mountaineers only allow 8.7 shots a game, a sharp contrast to the 19.2 for the Mountaineers. Senior goalkeeper Claire Grenis has anchored the Mountaineer defense, keeping opponents to 1.5 goals a game as a result. In their five-game winning streak, Grenis allowed only three goals past her while shutting out three opponents.
 
Mountaineers have taken home MAC Player of the Week honors five times in four weeks of play. Grenis and Bosma have each won the award twice, sweeping both week one and week four, while Florine Koopman received Player of the Week in week three for her two-goal performance against Davidson.
 
App State was picked to finish second in the 2024 MAC Conference standings by the league's coaches. The team tied for first in the MAC last season after once again, tying a program-record for wins in a season with 14 and rattling off a nine-game winning streak to end the regular season. 
  
Scouting the Tarheels
North Carolina enters this matchup against the Mountaineers after coming off an 18-3 (5-1 ACC) championship season in 2023. The Tarheels will be led by head coach Erin Matson, who is in her 2^nd year with the program. In her first season, she led North Carolina to their 11^th NCAA title and 26^th ACC Championship. Currently, the Tarheels are ranked first in the country according to the NCAA and the Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll.
 
Series History
This is the 26^th meeting between the Mountaineers and Tarheels, with App State trailing in the series 2-22-1. The Mountaineers last saw the Tarheels in a 2023 matchup, where App State was defeated by a score of 1-6.
 
Up Next
The Mountaineers will stay in Boone to face off against MAC opponent Ball State on Friday. First touch at the Dr. Jan C. Watson Field at the Brandon & Erica M. Adcock Field Hockey Complex is slated for 6 p.m.