Oct. 20, 2009

GREENSBORO, N.C. – North Carolina senior forward Danielle Forword is selected as this week’s Atlantic Coast Conference Field Hockey Player of the Week for her efforts in two Tar Heel wins, including scoring the game winner in a conference game against Virginia (Oct. 17). Forword is claiming her second player of the week accolade this season and is the fourth Tar Heel to take the honor in 2009.

Forword helped the second-ranked Tar Heels (National Field Hockey Coaches Association) take an early 1-0 lead in a critical league game at third-ranked Virginia with an assist in the ninth minute of play. A Cavalier goal sent the game into overtime, where Forword scored the game winner off a penalty corner with just over two minutes remaining in the first overtime period to seal the 2-1 victory. The win assured North Carolina of a first-round bye in the upcoming ACC Championship.

The following day against No. 11 James Madison, the New London, South Africa native scored an insurance goal to extend North Carolina’s lead to 2-0 to secure a win and maintain the Tar Heels’ perfect record.

Over the two games, Forword scored twice and recorded an assist for a total of five points. For the season, Forword has scored 11 goals to rank third on the team and ranks 10th in the ACC with 27 points and 1.80 points per game.

North Carolina will return to action on Saturday, October 24 for a 1 p.m. game with top-ranked Maryland at Francis E. Henry Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. Both teams enter the contest sporting perfect records and will battle for the ACC regular season title. The winner will stake claim to the top seed in the ACC Championship, which will be hosted by the University of Virginia on November 5, 6, and 8 in Charlottesville, Va.

The ACC Field Hockey Player of the Week will be announced by 5 p.m. each Tuesday during the season. More ACC field hockey information can be accessed at theACC.com.