Northwestern couldn’t put it away when it mattered most. Graduate forward Peyton Halsey missed her shot in a sudden-death shootout, opening the door for sophomore Ryleigh Heck to cage the game-winning goal for the Tar Heels with a score of 3-2.
First-year forward Charly Bruder struck first for North Carolina, putting the Tar Heels on the board in the third quarter. While Halsey hit the game-tying goal a few minutes later, it was her errant shot that allowed the home team to win their second consecutive championship.
The ‘Cats were aggressive from the get-go, drawing a penalty corner less than 45 seconds into the game, but Halsey sailed the shot wide.