No. 15 North Carolina (6-3) fell to its in-state foe High Point (6-4) 12-11 on Saturday afternoon at Dorrance Field after a second-half collapse. UNC went scoreless for the game’s final 22 minutes, withering away a lead as high as six goals in the third quarter.
The loss snapped a four-game win streak for the Tar Heels, dating back to their March 3 victory over Penn. The loss also saw UNC concede double-digit goals for the first time since the win streak started.
The Tar Heels showed clear dominance on both sides of the ball from the first faceoff. UNC opened the scoring less than a minute in, as first-year attackman Owen Duffy found sophomore attackman James Matan cutting to the net for an easy catch-and-shoot. The ball continued to find its way in the back of High Point’s net, including a man-up goal from junior attackman Ryan Levy and an unassisted wrap-around goal from junior midfielder Antonio DeMarco.
The Panthers had a few scoring chances in the first, including a two-minute advantage killed off by North Carolina and a shot that rang off the crossbar. They broke the scoring drought late in the first quarter with a man-up goal, but the Tar Heels held a 5-1 lead at the quarter’s end.
North Carolina tallied two early goals on the same man-up advantage in the second quarter, with scores from graduate attackman Logan McGovern and sophomore attackman Matt Wrede. High Point responded with two quick goals of their own, but the Tar Heels quickly regained control. McGovern struck again with an impressive diving wrap-around, bringing the North Carolina lead back to six just over midway through the second.
Miscues held UNC back, taking five penalties in the first half, yet the Tar Heels carried a 9-4 lead into halftime.
Duffy started the scoring in the second half, taking the ball upfield himself and firing one nearside after a silky spin move. North Carolina continued to showcase solid ball movement, but missed shots and big saves from High Point goalie Zack Overend kept the Panthers alive. Both teams’ offenses were stalled in the third quarter due to solid defensive and goaltender play, as the teams combined to force nine turnovers with only four goals between them. They entered the final quarter with the Tar Heels up 11-6.
High Point got to work early in the final quarter, scoring two goals in just 30 seconds. The Tar Heels continued to fire shots wide and cough the ball up offensively, leading them to a scoreless fourth quarter. Goals from High Point midfielder Collin Rovere and attackman Brayden Mayea made the UNC lead shrink to one, as North Carolina continued to turn the ball over with careless offensive mistakes.
As the final two minutes approached, the Tar Heels went offsides on a clear attempt that saw senior goalie Collin Kreig in midfield, setting up the game-tying goal for Panthers midfielder Ian Cann. The Panthers would take over possession in the final minute, with a behind-the-back assist setting up a go-ahead goal for High Point attackman Jack Sawyer with just 22 seconds remaining.
