Up next in 10
#UNC coach Erin Matson, Charly Bruder and Sofia Ferri after 7-0 win over Penn
Sep 5, 2026
#UNC coach Erin Matson, Charly Bruder and Sofia Ferri after 7-0 win over Penn
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
I feel like every performance so far,
0:02
our heels have improved game by game,
0:04
and that's what we're staying focused
0:05
on. So, um, you know, I'm proud with the
0:09
score, of course, we're proud with the
0:10
win. Um, we're proud with our penalty
0:12
corner execution. We're proud with not
0:14
allowing a ton of outcomes. Um, but at
0:16
the end of the day, it all goes back to
0:17
they got better again this week. Um, so
0:20
that's what's going to propel us through
0:22
the season. Um, I think we had a lot of
0:24
people um, make an impact tonight. You
0:27
know, you saw Charlie out there, Coco, I
0:29
think, had a great game. Sofh had a
0:30
great game. Um, but I think there were a
0:32
lot of people who were maybe more behind
0:35
the scenes or quieter, whoever, who were
0:36
still having a huge impact, like Reed
0:38
Miller, Jenna Narleski's playing great
0:40
um just getting back out there. Cesily,
0:43
we rolled her off the bench um to see a
0:45
little bit and and she had an impact um
0:47
with, you know, limited minutes even,
0:49
which is great to see. So, again, I
0:51
think overall today, we're proud of the
0:52
win. We're proud of being at home, of
0:54
course, and in front of our fans. Um
0:56
Penn gave us a great match, but um at
0:58
the end of the day, like genuinely we're
1:00
just focused on the development and
1:02
however long that takes, but as long as
1:04
that's gradual.
1:05
>> Among the Aaron, among the frustrations
1:07
last week and obviously with the
1:08
corners, one game you didn't get any and
1:11
then you were for seven or the other.
1:13
>> What was the difference uh today? Uh was
1:16
it strategic? Just what?
1:18
>> Yeah, I think they we practiced them all
1:20
week and they executed them. Um, I think
1:22
we're working a lot on our mentality all
1:24
over the field, but especially in our
1:26
circles. Um, and the attacking pen
1:28
penalty corners, you know, are a prime
1:30
example of that. So, making sure
1:31
everyone's on the same page, everyone's
1:32
executing their job, and if you don't
1:34
have a quote unquote job, you know,
1:36
tipping, shooting, whatever that is, um,
1:38
you're still making an impact, having a
1:39
presence, anticipating the rebounds,
1:41
whatever it is. So, um, again, you see
1:44
improvement from Friday to Sunday to
1:46
this Friday. Uh, even with our corners
1:49
and everything, and that's what we care
1:50
about. He's come a long way. I went over
1:52
and watched the scrimmage over at Duke,
1:54
so I know how that went. So,
1:56
>> what's been the progression from then to
1:58
now? What is the biggest differences?
2:01
>> Yeah, I think, you know, again, we've
2:02
said it since the beginning of the
2:03
season, but we have a lot of either new
2:05
people who are getting their first
2:07
minutes, you know, as to heels out
2:08
there, or we have people who sure are
2:10
returners and have been here, but
2:11
they're in new positions and um that's
2:13
all over the field. So, I think, you
2:15
know, I'm not just saying it. I'm going
2:16
to I guess keep repeating it, but from
2:18
our first scrimmage against Duke, you
2:19
know, it was us just getting our feet
2:21
wet. How does our press work with people
2:22
in new positions, people learning their
2:24
role? Um, you know, our our fundamentals
2:26
are always a focus of our game and
2:28
they've um, you know, served us well so
2:30
far this season, but then taking it to
2:32
Sunday, you know, in our second
2:33
scrimmage again, being at home, um, I
2:36
think our press was better. I think our
2:37
outlet was better. Just the basic pieces
2:39
and and tactics that we do. Um, taking
2:42
it into game week. Okay, we played
2:44
really solid hockey, you know, in the
2:45
middle of the field, but in our circles,
2:46
we allowed too much on defense and on
2:49
attack. We didn't capitalize. We didn't
2:50
create enough. Um, Sunday, all right, we
2:53
created and we prevented, but we still
2:55
need to finish and we need to capitalize
2:57
on them. And today, okay, we created a
2:59
lot and now we're capitalizing on them.
3:00
So, like it's a it's a gradual trend of
3:03
um what the girls are working on,
3:06
they're getting better at and what
3:07
we're, you know, talking about in the
3:09
film room, they're really taking it to
3:10
heart and they're improving. Um, so
3:13
yeah, we care about the wins and losses.
3:15
Of course, that's what drives us, but
3:16
right now at the start of the season,
3:17
it's so early. We care about them just
3:19
getting better by better each day.
3:21
[snorts]
3:21
>> Sophia had a pretty good performance
3:23
tonight. What are your thoughts about
3:24
her outing?
3:25
>> Yeah, I mean, I I've, you know, we've
3:28
said it as a staff since she stepped on
3:29
campus, we knew before she got on
3:31
campus. She's playing like she's been
3:33
here um for years and she's extremely
3:36
comfortable in one of the hardest
3:37
positions out there tactically um you
3:39
know for herself and understanding what
3:41
her role is but also her position that
3:43
she plays is a prime organizational
3:45
position for the rest of the um team
3:48
whether it's on when we have the ball or
3:49
when we're defending and I think for a
3:52
freshman to step in to those shoes um in
3:54
a position where we saw you know someone
3:56
like Satka Bruning play last year and
3:58
the impact she had and step in like
4:00
nothing's changed it's it's very
4:01
impressive. Ive um so we're very proud
4:04
of her. She's working extremely hard and
4:06
taking feedback and learning and being
4:07
very open herself from her teammates,
4:09
from us as a staff and just wants to get
4:11
better. Um but she's definitely, you
4:14
know, walking in here and we have no
4:16
hesitation putting her out there,
4:18
putting the ball in her stick and trust
4:19
in her decision-m and everything within
4:21
that. So, it's been really good to see.
4:23
>> Is this one of the youngest teams you've
4:26
played with and or coached?
4:28
>> Um I don't know exact. probably.
4:31
Probably I don't want to say anything
4:33
that I'm not 100% sure in, but um we've
4:35
got more freshmen than ever out there,
4:37
you know, and um yeah, I think only
4:42
what two fifth years Grace and Yeah. So,
4:47
um I guess I think you know, young
4:52
inexperienced in a way of game
4:54
management playing at this level like
4:55
and it's not a bad thing. we're, you
4:57
know, we're owning that and they're
4:58
owning that and totally embracing it of
5:00
like, all right, that just means we need
5:01
to develop more or learn quicker or be
5:02
more open and be more direct with each
5:04
other and that's what they're doing. So,
5:05
again, we're really just proud of them
5:07
overall. But yeah, there's, you know, we
5:09
graduated a class like that um last
5:12
season and again in like prime positions
5:15
on the field and prime leadership roles.
5:16
So, it's just been great to see so many
5:18
people step into those roles, um, speak
5:21
up, drive the standard, and then also
5:22
literally with hockey, yeah, just learn
5:24
and embrace making mistakes, um, asking
5:27
questions and improving. And I think
5:29
that's why you've seen the trend, um,
5:32
game by game, we've seen it improve
5:34
because they realize, all right, that's
5:35
fine, but we're not going to shy away
5:37
from that, you know.
5:38
>> Is it fair to say this is the biggest
5:40
challenge coming into a season since
5:42
you've taken over as coach?
5:44
>> Um, I think it's a different challenge.
5:46
I don't know if it's a I mean, every
5:48
season's been challenging. You know, we
5:49
went from uh me being hired and coaching
5:52
my teammates to now most of my teammates
5:55
gone, some still here, and um you know,
5:58
more a lot of new and a lot of different
6:00
and a lot of um again just people who
6:04
were asking a lot of them. So I think
6:06
it's more just a different challenge but
6:08
I also think that's one of the most fun
6:10
parts of our job is that um you can't to
6:14
some extent yes you can compare seasons
6:15
and like I want to learn about my
6:17
leadership journey and how I can be
6:18
better for these guys or um what the
6:20
differences in teams are and how what
6:22
worked with this one will it work with
6:24
that like yes but also like you can only
6:26
do that so far where it's one of the
6:28
most beautiful parts that every season
6:30
is different every team is different
6:31
every group has a new identity um we've
6:34
got a new schedule, literally a new
6:36
travel schedule every season. Like
6:37
there's nothing that's always the same.
6:39
So I wouldn't label it as, you know, a
6:43
bigger challenge than others, but I
6:45
think every season just brings a
6:46
challenge.
6:47
>> Given the youthful composition onto that
6:49
point still, have you changed anything
6:51
specifically as far as like your
6:52
coaching just considering the the
6:54
players that you have on this year's
6:56
roster? Yeah, I think that's part of our
6:57
job too. And I think um you know that's
7:00
the um how do I want to say the eb and
7:04
flow of how we coach as a staff
7:06
personally. I think that is very
7:09
different season to season um right off
7:11
the bat. Just again because every season
7:13
is different, every group is different.
7:14
But I also think that es and flows with
7:16
the season itself and learning the team
7:19
and it's like our job is yes coaching
7:21
field hockey but it's um observing
7:24
things. It's trying to read their minds.
7:25
It's picking up on tendencies. What is
7:27
the balance of hard and soft for this
7:29
group? How do they respond? Let's try
7:30
this. Oh, I got that wrong. Okay, I'm
7:32
not going to do that again. You know,
7:33
like it's I think throughout any season
7:36
there is a um
7:39
yeah, it just es and flows with what
7:41
that team needs and what we feel like we
7:43
pick up from them. So, um definitely
7:46
learning, lots of learning, uh lots of
7:48
reflection, but again, I love that and I
7:50
think these guys too, our staff does
7:52
like it's, you know, we're not we know
7:54
what works. We have our backbone. We
7:56
have our identity. We've proven that.
7:58
Um, but it is about meeting these guys
8:00
where they are and us coming in as a
8:02
staff and thinking, okay, this is the
8:03
tone. We walk into the halftime meeting
8:05
and this is what they need to hear. Um,
8:07
you know, this is maybe we need to drive
8:10
the standard more in this area of our
8:11
culture and our identity because that's
8:13
what this group needs. Um, so yeah, I
8:15
definitely think just like I was a
8:17
player, you know, I was very different
8:18
fifth year senior compared to freshman.
8:20
Very different. And same here now. you
8:23
know, it's year four, so of course I'm
8:24
learning and and developing along the
8:26
way, right, with them. And I think
8:27
that's also pretty beautiful. Do
8:28
>> you have any more teammates on the team?
8:31
>> I do. Um, Grace, I think we counted
8:33
what, seven or eight?
8:34
>> Seven former teammates
8:36
>> I either played with or inherited as
8:39
recruits. Um, so we're in this like
8:41
blended phase right now where I have a
8:43
class um that were freshman when I was
8:46
on my way out. Um, we have some classes
8:49
that, you know, they came here for Karen
8:51
Shelton and they got me and I, you know,
8:54
had to earn their trust and and just,
8:57
you know, show them that I believed in
8:59
them just as much as she did. Um, and
9:01
then now I we have the staff here who
9:04
recruited two classes. So, um, it's just
9:07
a very exciting group and I think that's
9:10
what, yeah, it makes it challenging, of
9:12
course, but again, that's every year.
9:14
And I think, you know, there's there's
9:17
an element of this is so unique and so
9:20
different and it's our job to just
9:23
inspire them and help them grow and
9:25
develop and that's what we're doing and
9:26
that's what we're proud of. So, um, but
9:27
yeah, there are some that I still played
9:29
with. Um,
9:32
it'll phase out eventually. you know, we
9:33
take every year and we just we love them
9:35
all. They're amazing hockey players.
9:37
They're amazing young women. And I
9:39
genuinely think the staff um you know,
9:42
is just really in a good mindset of
9:44
like, oh, we have a lot of work to do
9:47
and a lot of development, but that is
9:48
like our job. That is why we're here and
9:50
we take so much pride in that and I
9:52
think it really energizes and excites us
9:54
if you can't tell um with the group that
9:56
we have and what we're seeing so far
9:58
from them.
9:58
>> Thanks.
9:59
>> Thanks, Aaron. Thank you, Aaron.
10:00
>> One and only [laughter]
10:03
Charlie, how has it been the transition
10:05
with so many stars that were lost from
10:08
last year and so many newcomers? Is it
10:10
was it been hard to develop chemistry
10:12
this quickly?
10:13
>> Um, I think there are the challenges,
10:15
but I wouldn't say it's hard. I think
10:16
every year you expect a new challenge
10:18
just like Aaron kind of said. Um, but
10:21
it's a challenge that you kind of come
10:23
to Carolina for. Um, that you expect new
10:25
recruiting classes to come in every
10:27
single year. So, every preseason um, you
10:29
think, okay, I have to start building
10:30
connections right away. And that's like
10:32
what's so beautiful about the two weeks.
10:33
You're able to build these all field
10:35
connections that you can eventually
10:36
bring on the field.
10:38
>> I want to ask um you guys held uh pen to
10:42
just one shot on goal this game. What
10:44
can you say about the team's kind of
10:47
ability to keep them on the defense
10:49
throughout the game?
10:50
>> Yeah. Um I think that speaks volumes
10:51
about our team. That's the Carolina way.
10:53
We're always on the front foot. We're
10:55
always hungry. We always know that we
10:56
can push the tempo. Um, and I think our
10:59
defense is not a defense that you want
11:01
to cross. I mean, to get to them, um,
11:04
you have to face like a ve very, um,
11:06
like attacking minded kind of, um,
11:09
press, which I think is kind of hard to
11:12
find in other teams. Um, because we're
11:13
on the front foot, we're so aggressive,
11:15
we're so in your face. Um, and I just
11:17
think our defense does such a good job
11:18
of executing kind of the ball out of the
11:20
circle in a very calm but very concise
11:23
kind of way.
11:24
>> What was the You had a couple of goals
11:26
off quarters. What was the difference
11:27
between between last weekend when you
11:30
you guys were struggling even getting
11:32
corners and then converting it and then
11:34
to today?
11:35
>> Yeah, I think it's the hard work work we
11:36
put in the week. I'm going to be
11:37
completely honest. Um 0 and2 it was it
11:40
hurt. It stung and I think that kind of
11:42
not I wouldn't say anger but that kind
11:44
of like a wow kind of factor um really
11:48
put this kind of drive this hungry dog
11:50
mentality into everyone and we're like
11:52
we we don't want to go back to that. We
11:53
are going to be so intentional in
11:55
everything we do this practice and we
11:57
know we were kind of lacking on the
11:58
attack side. So, we did everything in
11:59
our power this week to kind of be on the
12:00
front foot in that area.
12:01
>> Seemed like you found the seams in their
12:03
defense quite often.
12:04
>> Mhm.
12:05
>> Uh just just
12:07
>> Yeah.
12:08
>> What how do you explain that?
12:09
>> Um I think it kind of goes back to our
12:11
coaching staff. They're extremely
12:12
skilled. They kind of give us um every
12:14
tool to be successful in the game. And I
12:15
think it kind of like very
12:17
>> it clicked for us and we worked all week
12:19
on kind of breaking the seams, just
12:20
going front foot, being as hungry as we
12:22
can. I think our defense has this killer
12:24
mentality that we they instill when they
12:26
push the ball forward. And I think it
12:28
kind of clicked for us today. And I
12:30
think that killer mentality in the
12:31
attacking circle is what we really
12:33
needed today um to show us that we can
12:34
do it.
12:35
>> Going into tonight, what was the pregame
12:37
message from Aaron?
12:38
>> Yeah. Um you know, she's just very calm
12:41
and collected. She has confidence in all
12:43
in all of us. So the message for her was
12:46
like it's kind of like a clean slate.
12:49
This is her first game on Karen Shaw
12:50
Stadium. this is where our season kind
12:52
of like can be a turning point for us.
12:53
Um, and she looked each and every one of
12:55
us in the eye and said, "I have
12:56
confidence in every single one of you
12:57
that you can do everything to your
12:59
ability to to perform at your highest."
13:01
>> Your teammate over there, Sophia, had a
13:02
pretty good game herself. What are your
13:04
thoughts about her performance just
13:06
being a freshman?
13:07
>> I mean, it is incredible. She's just not
13:09
not only an incredible person, but an
13:11
incredible player. She plays just such
13:12
class and confidence, and I think that's
13:14
what you want in every single teammate.
13:15
Um, so to play with her, it's just
13:17
honestly privileged. I've been able to
13:18
play with her pre previously. um kind of
13:20
in the USA um indoor scene and that was
13:23
also a privilege. So I've learned a lot
13:24
from her and I'm just so happy to see
13:26
her doing amazing things.
13:27
>> And then obviously good for morale to
13:29
have this win but you're facing a much
13:31
bigger challenge in Princeton
13:33
>> on Sunday. What are you taking away from
13:35
today to kind of
13:38
>> keep you in a good mood maybe to to take
13:40
them on?
13:41
>> Yeah. Um kind of one thing we always say
13:43
then the most important game is the
13:44
next. So, after the next after the
13:45
game's finished, that's great. We won,
13:46
but onto the next like head down. We're
13:48
going to take every lesson we learned,
13:49
every kind of mistake we made or
13:51
improvement we made we made. Bring that
13:53
into tomorrow um into like our very
13:55
light practice and film session and hit
13:56
the ground running um on Sunday.
14:00
>> Thanks, Charlie.
14:00
>> Thanks.
14:02
>> Talk about your two goals today and uh
14:05
>> yeah,
14:06
>> how it is being a freshman, your first
14:08
home game and everything. Yeah, I mean
14:10
as soon as the game started, obviously
14:12
there was a little bit of nervousness,
14:14
but it's the same as every other game
14:16
before. Just go out there, play your
14:18
best, play for your teammates, play for
14:20
your college, play for your community,
14:22
everything. So, I think just going out
14:24
there, putting it all on the field, and
14:26
like with the goals, corners called, you
14:28
just got to execute and do your best and
14:31
just believe that you can do it, have
14:33
confidence, and I think that's what I
14:35
did with the two goals and glad I
14:37
scored. So,
14:38
>> how has it been for you your group of
14:42
newcomers to come in and blend in with
14:44
some of these veterans?
14:46
>> Yeah, I mean it was hard at first, but I
14:48
think with like a lot of communication
14:50
between everyone, um we we learned how
14:53
to connect with the older girls, with my
14:56
class, with the girls in between. Um I
14:59
think just like really
15:01
uh making that bond with everyone on the
15:03
team is just like really important. And
15:05
I think just coming in from the
15:07
beginning, we had a goal and we're
15:10
implementing that goal into the rest of
15:12
the season and we're working towards
15:14
that goal. And I think we all want it
15:16
and we all want to do it together. So I
15:19
think that's what drives us and what
15:21
brings us together is we all want the
15:23
same thing and we want to do it
15:24
together. So it's making it a lot
15:25
easier.
15:26
>> What's the goal?
15:27
>> Win. Go out there,
15:29
>> put it all on the field, go as far as we
15:32
possibly can. have no regrets. Um, just
15:35
do it together. Do it as a team. Do it
15:37
as a family. So,
15:38
>> and going off of that, um, the two goals
15:41
that you made today, um, you're at
15:44
Charlie Booder's level. Do you think you
15:46
could be as good as her? She's been on
15:49
this team for a long time. Like, what
15:51
are your thoughts on that?
15:52
>> I mean, obviously Charlie and I play two
15:54
different positions, but we do learn
15:58
from each other. I learn from her, she
15:59
learns from me. Uh, we have a lot of
16:01
communication. So, I mean, I do hope to
16:03
be on her level. Um, I don't want to put
16:06
anything out there, but, you know, I'm
16:09
working towards it. Um, I'm not slacking
16:12
off. I just want to keep improving. So,
16:14
anything I can learn from her, anything
16:16
I can keep building on is what I'm
16:19
trying to work on and what I'm going
16:21
into the rest of my career here with.
16:24
>> Oh, sorry.
16:24
>> Yeah. Yeah. What was your experience
16:26
like in your first home game as a
16:27
Tarheel?
16:28
>> It was amazing. I mean, I was out there.
16:31
The game was starting. I was a little
16:33
nervous. I look at the stands. I look
16:34
for my parents. See them. Um, gives me a
16:37
little joy, a little a little
16:40
self-confidence. Um, self asssurance.
16:43
And I just see everyone. I see everyone
16:45
here supporting. And I know the Tar
16:48
Hills have a great support system and
16:51
great fan base. So, it's great to have
16:53
everyone on our back. So, it was really
16:55
exciting. I mean, the vibes were high in
16:57
the locker room. The vibes were high
16:58
during warm-up and I think it was just
16:59
really exciting to finally be here at a
17:02
home game and just like bring it out on
17:04
the field and I think we did really well
17:06
for our first home game and I hope to
17:08
continue it throughout the season.
17:09
>> You mentioned your family was here. Who
17:11
was able to make it out?
17:12
>> Uh my mom and my dad. Yeah. Yeah. They
17:15
try their best to make every game. So
17:18
>> going going off of that, um your first
17:20
weekend as a Tarill probably wasn't what
17:22
you expected from like when you signed
17:24
here. So, like just how good does it
17:26
feel to have a win with this group no
17:28
matter what?
17:29
>> I mean, it's great. I think after last
17:31
week, we came in after that game, we
17:35
came together as a team and we were
17:36
like, we're not we're not doing this for
17:37
the rest of the season. We're changing
17:39
it around. And I think this week, we
17:40
made a lot of progression. We put
17:42
everything out on every single practice.
17:44
We listened to each other and we built
17:46
off each other. We built with what we
17:49
all needed from each other. And I think
17:51
the staff really helped with that. And
17:53
just doing it all together as a team
17:55
really helped. And I think just going
17:57
forward obviously like as a Tarheel to
18:02
begin. It was it was hard going zero and
18:06
two, but I think we're on our up and I
18:08
think doing it and trying together is
18:12
going to be really good going forward.
18:14
>> You're from
18:15
>> Sorry. Do you think the team will kind
18:17
of keep that chip on their shoulder from
18:19
those first two losses or is this more
18:22
of a turning point? Are you going to
18:23
keep that mentality going forward?
18:25
>> I mean, obviously those two losses are
18:28
always going to be on our mind. It's
18:29
going to be on our record for the rest
18:30
of the season. So, it's never going to
18:32
leave our minds and going forward. We're
18:35
just going to keep progressing, keep
18:36
working on things that we need to do
18:38
better and keep going with the things
18:40
that we're doing well. And I think it's
18:41
really good where we're standing right
18:43
now. And going forward, I think we're
18:45
just going to become even stronger. So,
18:47
I think those two losses were good for
18:48
us. It taught us a lot and it's good
18:52
because now we know going forward that
18:54
we're not going to let it happen again.
18:56
>> You're from Pennsylvania,
18:58
>> but have you been able to adjust to the
18:59
North Carolina lifestyle just being here
19:01
in Chapel Hill?
19:02
>> Yeah, I mean, I always like the South,
19:03
but the heat's a little little hard for
19:06
me, but I think it's been easier to
19:08
adjust being here for a month now. Um, I
19:12
think the hardest thing is just the heat
19:13
and obviously with school, the busy
19:16
schedule, but I think adjusting is I'm
19:19
doing pretty well with it and I have my
19:20
teammates on my back and the staff is
19:22
helping. So, it's good.
19:24
>> Thanks. Go.
#Sports