CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Erin Matson scored the sudden victory goal in the seventh minute of overtime to lift North Carolina to its third consecutive title with a 4-3 win over Michigan in the NCAA field hockey championship game on Sunday night.
On North Carolina's second penalty corner in a row, Matson took it to her reverse side and smashed it through the legs of Wolverines goalkeeper Anna Spieker. It was Matson's third goal of the match and her 30th of the season for the top-seeded Tar Heels (19-1).
North Carolina won its third consecutive championship for the second time in program history (1995-97) and tied Old Dominion for an NCAA-best ninth title. The last time a UNC team won a championship on campus was when the women's soccer team led by Mia Hamm beat George Mason 6-0 on Nov. 21, 1993.
Kathryn Peterson and Sarah Pyrtek scored goals in the 40th and 45th minutes, respectively, to erase a two-goal deficit late in the third quarter for the No. 2-seed Wolverines (15-3).
Kate Burney opened the scoring in the 10th minute for Michigan, and Matson tied it for North Carolina 33 seconds later.
Bryn Boylan gave the Tar Heels their first lead with a penalty stroke goal in the 18th minute, and Matson made it 3-1 in the 38th minute.
