UNC scores first 8 goals, rolls upset of Syracuse to make ACC women’s lacrosse final

By R.L. Bynum

North Carolina hasn’t replicated its dominant previous two women’s lacrosse seasons. But the young Tar Heels are putting it together at the right time and are a win away from their seventh consecutive ACC title.

No. 6-ranked and No. 3-seed UNC scored the first eight goals and rolled to a 15–9 upset of No. 2-ranked and No. 2-seed Syracuse on Friday in the semifinals of the ACC tournament at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte.

After losing plenty of talent that led Carolina to an undefeated national championship season a year ago, the inexperienced Tar Heels are hitting their stride at the right time, led by freshman attacker Caroline Godine (top photo).

Godine scored a career-high six goals, including one that ended a 4–0 third-quarter Syracuse run, and assisted on another.

It was only the second loss of the season for the Orange (16–2).

The Tar Heels (14–3) play at noon Sunday in Charlotte (ACC Network) against No. 4-ranked and No. 1-seed Boston College (15–3) for the championship. The Eagles, who beat No. 7-ranked and No. 5-seed Notre Dame 9–5 in Friday’s first semifinal, lost 16–5 to UNC in Chapel Hill on March 3.

Friday’s game contrasted when Syracuse jumped out to an 8–4 lead on April 15 over UNC in Chapel Hill on its way to a 14–12 victory.

“Much better,” UNC coach Jenny Levy told ACC Network. “Something that we’ve been working on is just sticking to the game plan, trusting ourselves, playing well as a unit.”

UNC outshot Syracuse 35–25 in that loss, but was much more efficient with its shots considering the Orange outshot the Heels 36–33 on Friday. The Tar Heels were successful by being patient and finding the seams on the Orange’s usually unyielding zone defense.

UNC freshman attackers Marisa White and Godine each notched first-half hat tricks. Godine’s fourth goal from just outside of the circle with four seconds left in the first half gave the Heels a 10–2 halftime lead.

North Carolina attacker Marissa White (21) fires a shot between Syracuse midfielders Natalie Smith (15) and McKenzie Olsen (17).

Carolina sophomore goalkeeper Alecia Nicholas was stellar, making 11 saves after only stopping only five in the earlier meeting and shutting the Orange out in the first quarter. It was her fourth game with at least 10 saves.

The second goal from redshirt sophomore attacker Reilly Casey and a score from junior attacker Caitlyn Wurzberger, who had four assists, early in the third quarter gave UNC a 12–3 edge, the largest Syracuse deficit of the season.

The Orange scored four consecutive goals to cut the deficit to five before Godine’s goal with 3:58 left in the third quarter. Senior midfielder Nicole Humphrey’s score and Godine’s sixth goal with 6:40 left shoved UNC’s lead back to eight.

NOTES — UNC goes into Sunday’s championship tied with Maryland (2009–14) for the most consecutive ACC titles at six. … UNC held a 17–13 ground balls advantage, led by Alecia Nicholas with a game-high five. … Kaleigh Harden caused a game-high six turnovers, which was a career-high. … Carolina has won a league-record 20 consecutive ACC tournament games. … With five points, Wurzburger is nine away from 200 for her career. … UNC has double-figure goals in 73 of its last 76 games. … The Tar Heels last lost an ACC tournament game with a 9–8 double-overtime setback to Syracuse in the 2015 championship game. … UNC is 16–10 all-time in ACC tournament semifinals, winning 12 of its last 13 semifinal games. … Carolina leads the all-time series with Syracuse 12–7, including 5–2 in the ACC tournament.

No. 4 UNC 16, Sacred Heart 5


ACC Tournament

All games on ACC Network
Sunday’s first round

No. 7 Virginia Tech 18, No. 10 Pittsburgh 6
No. 9 Duke 12, No. 8 Louisville 11
At American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte
Wednesday’s quarterfinals

No. 1 Boston College 15, Duke 9
No. 5 Notre Dame 15, No. 4 Virginia 13
No. 2 Syracuse 14, Virginia Tech 12
No. 3 North Carolina 16, No. 6 Clemson 6
Friday’s semifinals
Boston College 9, Notre Dame 4
North Carolina 15, Syracuse 9
Sunday’s championship
Boston College (15–3) vs. North Carolina (14–3), noon


Photos by Nell Redmond/theACC.com

Leave a comment