The No. 4 North Carolina women’s lacrosse team exerted its dominance over its bitter rivals Saturday, as UNC defeated Duke, 19-7, clinching the ACC regular season title.
What happened?
The Tar Heels scored quickly, and they scored a lot. Senior Carly Reed got things started for UNC with a goal in the first five minutes. Thirty seconds later, junior Marie McCool ripped one into the net, and the Tar Heels had a 2-0 lead.
With 16 minutes left in the half, The Blue Devils were able to counter with two goals of their own, tying the game at 3-3. But the tie was fleeting. Senior Sammy Jo Tracy sparked a momentum-shifting run by the Tar Heels at the 15-minute mark in the first half. Fueled by three goals from senior Molly Hendrick, UNC went on a 6-0 run in eight minutes. Duke put up two goals, but the teams entered halftime with the Tar Heels leading 11-5.
UNC never lost the momentum. Just five minutes into the second half, Hendrick posted yet another goal, giving the Tar Heels a 15-5 lead and a running game clock for the remainder of the game. UNC found the back of the net four more times to finish off the Blue Devils, 19-7.
Who stood out?
Hendrick put on a clinic, scoring a team-high seven goals, which were a career high for the senior. Sophomore Caroline Wakefield recorded three goals and three assists of her own.
When was it decided?
The Blue Devils kept it close for the first 15 minutes, but they just could not bounce back after the Tar Heels’ 6-0 run to break the tie. UNC's wide array of scoring options proved too fast and too overpowering for the Blue Devil defense.
