LOUISVILLE, Ky. (theACC.com) – For the ninth straight year, the North Carolina Tar Heels lifted the ACC Field Hockey Championship trophy, defeating Virginia, 4-1, on Friday, November 7, at Trager Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. It was the 28th ACC Championship in UNC program history.
Dani Mendez, the Most Valuable Player of the 2025 ACC Field Hockey Championship, remained red-hot, logging a pair of goals against her former team. The Tar Heels’ forward scored the first two goals of the game, opening the scoring just 3:19 into the contest, beating the Virginia goalkeeper and scoring into the top-right corner of the cage off an assist from Charly Bruder. Mendez would once again connect on a North Carolina penalty corner in the second quarter, getting an assist from Isabel Boere.
Using a penalty corner, Bruder pushed the Tar Heels’ lead to 3-0 in the second quarter after burying a shot into the left side of the cage. Coco Courtright and Ryleigh Heck logged assists on Bruder’s 17th goal of the season.
The Cavaliers would respond less than 90 seconds later, getting on the scoreboard from a Mia Abello penalty stroke. Abello, who scored the game-winning goal in Virginia’s semifinal shootout victory, logged her eighth goal of the season.
In the opening minute of the second half, Reese Anetsberger used an assist from Mendez to push the Tar Heels’ lead to 4-1, where it would remain for the remainder of the contest. North Carolina did not allow a shot on goal in the second half as Katie Wimmer posted a spotless 30 minutes in goal after entering at halftime.
The Tar Heels and Cavaliers will wait to hear their names called during the NCAA Field Hockey Selection Show on Sunday, November 9, at 10 p.m. ET on NCAA.com.
2025 ACC Field Hockey Championship All-Tournament Team
Julia Boehringer, M, Duke
Alaina McVeigh, F, Duke
Reese Anetsberger, F, North Carolina
Charly Bruder, F, North Carolina
Ryleigh Heck, F, North Carolina
Dani Mendez, F/M, North Carolina (MVP)
Bo van Kempen, B, Syracuse
Jessie Eiselin, GK, Syracuse
Lauren Kenah, M, Virginia
Madison Orsi, B, Virginia
Emma Watchilla, F, Virginia
2025 ACC Field Hockey Championship
Quarterfinals | Tuesday, November 4
#1 North Carolina 2, #8 Louisville 1
#4 Duke 7, #5 California 1
#2 Virginia 4, #7 Stanford 3
Quarterfinals | Wednesday, November 5
#6 Syracuse 3, #3 Wake Forest 1
Semifinals | Thursday, November 6
#1 North Carolina 5, #4 Duke 2
#2 Virginia 3 #6 Syracuse 2 (Virginia advances 4-1 in a shootout)
Championship | Friday, November 7
#1 North Carolina 4, #2 Virginia 1