Matson, Tar Heels edge N’western for 10th field hockey title

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Erin Matson redirected a Paityn Wirth shot with 1:19 left and the play gave top-seeded North Carolina a 2-1 win over No. 2-seed Northwestern in the NCAA championship game, the Tar Heels’ record 10th title. North Carolina , which was tied with Old Dominion for the most titles, dominated the game for 58 minutes. Northwestern, the defending champion, got its first shot on goal off its first corner, a dramatic goal by Bente Beckers just 39 seconds earlier. But the Tar Heels quickly recovered with Wirth settling a high pass and playing the ball between a defenders legs before sweeping a shot toward goal. That’s where Matson, the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, redirected the ball between Annabel Skubisz legs.