UNC women's lacrosse propels to 20-10 win over Duke after first-half goal streak

After a close-contested first few minutes in the contest, a 10 goal scoring run to end the first half propelled the No. 5 North Carolina women's lacrosse team to a 20-10 rivalry win over Duke.

What happened?

Before anyone could blink after the first draw of the game, the Duke Blue Devils (7-7, 2-4 ACC) had taken a 1-0 lead over the Tar Heels (11-3, 5-1 ACC).

After just 10 seconds of game time, Duke's Olivia Jenner secured the first goal of the game.

However, the Tar Heels quickly evened the score. A foul by the Blue Devils granted North Carolina the ball and they took full advantage. With less than 40 seconds of time run off of the clock, senior Marie McCool tied the score at 1-1. 

For the first four minutes of the game, the two teams traded goals back and forth. McCool scored another, Jamie Ortega and senior Maggie Bill each scored a goal of their own.

Duke was up 5-4 when the tide shifted for good. 

Sophomore Marisa DiVietro scored a goal to tie the game at 5-5. It marked the beginning of an 11-0 scoring run for North Carolina to end the half. From there, it was too much to be caught in the last 30 minutes of the game.

The Tar Heels dominated well into the second half, allowing only five goals from Duke and improving their lead to 20-10 to end the match.

Who stood out?

Jamie Ortega scored a career-high seven goals in the match. Her goals came at clutch times and helped to carry the Tar Heels in their 10 goal streak to end the first half.

Sophomore Katie Hoeg also made a name for herself against Duke with four assists and one goal on the day. Hoeg’s consistent ability to pass and score for her team has been a crucial factor in deciding victories throughout the regular season.

On her senior day, team captain Marie McCool also stood out for scoring four goals and dishing one assist. As captain, McCool has played a significant role on the team during her time at UNC. 

When was it decided?

After going on a 10 goal run to end the first half, North Carolina clearly pulled out ahead in the game. After halftime, the Blue Devils couldn't recover from the lead built by the Tar Heels.

The dominance by UNC in the first half carried into the second, ultimately deciding the match.

Why does it matter?

After beating Duke, the Tar Heels added another conference win to their record. Duke is another quality team the Tar Heels beat, which will play a significant role in the seeding of the NCAA tournament. 

The Tar Heels have scored at least 20 goals in each of their last three games. With this level of momentum going, the team has a high powered offense entering both the ACC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.

When do they play next?

The game wrapped up regular season play for North Carolina. The Tar Heels will play next in the ACC tournament on April 26 in Durham, taking on Syracuse or Louisville at 5 p.m.

@megandennehy

@DTHSports | sports@dailytarheel.com