GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – North Carolina sophomore Erin Matson has been named the 2019 Atlantic Coast Conference Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season, while Boston College sophomore goalkeeper Jonna Kennedy earned Defensive Player of the Week honors.
 
Each player took on a leading role as their teams opened ACC play with wins over fellow ranked opponents. Matson had four goals and an assist as top-ranked UNC picked up a pair of wins versus No. 7 Louisville and Appalachian State, while Kennedy was stellar in goal on Friday as No. 17 Boston College blanked No. 18 Wake Forest on the road.
 
In UNC's conference opener against Louisville on Friday, Matson scored the second and third goals – both off penalty corners – in a 4-1 Tar Heel win. The Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, native added two more goals in Sunday’s 4-1 road win at Appalachian State, including her second of the game in the second quarter that put Tar Heels up for good. In addition to her two goals, Matson assisted on UNC’s fourth goal of the game to give her a total of nine points for the weekend.

Matson is currently first in the nation in points per game (3.86) and is second in goals per game (1.43).

Boston College’s Kennedy keyed a 2-0 shutout of Wake Forest while making six saves. The Watertown, Massachusetts, keeper stepped up on a day the Demon Deacons outshot the Eagles 11-10, including a 6-5 edge in shots on goal. Kennedy defended eight penalty corners while playing the entire 60 minutes.

The full-game shutout was Kennedy’s first since Oct. 28 of last season versus city rival Boston University.