Nov. 4, 2005

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Top-ranked Wake Forest won an overtime thriller against No. 5 North Carolina in the semifinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Field Hockey Championship on Friday, scoring just 1:50 into the extra frame to take the 2-1 win and advance to Sunday's championship game.

Junior midfielder Lauren Crandall scored both goals for the top-seeded Demon Deacons (19-0).

Crandall's decisive strike came on Wake Forest's third penalty corner of the overtime period. After UNC successfully defended the first two, Jamie Whitten pushed the ball in and Maeke Boreel took the stick stop on the third. Crandall then laced a shot through the North Carolina defense for the game-winner.

The Tar Heels (14-6), seeded fourth at the tournament, struck first in the contest, with Laree Beans finding the back of the goal just 3:31 into the game. North Carolina drew a penalty corner, and Alli Tanner's ensuing shot hit off a post and back into play. After a brief scramble in front of the goal, Beans put a shot past Wake Forest keeper Kristina Gagliardi for the early 1-0 lead.

Wake Forest wasted little time in answering, with Crandall scoring her first goal of the contest at the 5:37 mark. The Deacons' goal came off a penalty corner, with Christine Suggs pushing the ball in and Boreel handling the stop.

Wake, which owns the eighth-best scoring offense in the nation, reeled off 24 shots against UNC, but the Tar Heels, who entered the game fourth in the nation in scoring defense, weathered the storm, with goalkeeper Katy Tran, who is fifth in the nation in goals against average, making 11 stops on the evening.

Wake Forest's scoring defense, which is tops in the nation, allowed just five shots in the game. Gagliardi, who is second in the nation in goals against average, posted four saves.

The game was eerily similar to last year's matchup between the two squads at the ACC Championship. That semifinal game also went to overtime, with North Carolina pulling out the 2-1 win.

The Demon Deacons advance to Sunday's championship match, where they will face either No. 2 Duke, seeded third, or No. 3 Maryland, seeded second, at noon. Wake will be seeking its third league championship. The game will be televised by FSN South, FSN Florida and Comcast SportsNet.