A healthy No. 4 UNC women's lacrosse dominates No. 18 JMU in season opener
UNC senior attacker Olivia Vergano (26) cradles the ball during the UNC women's lacrosse game against JMU on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Dorrance Field.
A list hangs in the North Carolina women’s lacrosse locker room.
On it? The seven teams UNC lost to last season: James Madison, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Northwestern, Boston College, Virginia and Florida.
The list dwells in the locker room as a reminder of the UNC standard. The standard for a program with seven ACC championships, 10 ACC regular season championships and three national titles.
And now one school has been crossed off.
“We’re just going to go for it,” redshirt first-year attacker Chloe Humphreysaid. “We’re going for it all. We have nothing to lose this year.”
The No. 4 North Carolina women’s lacrosse team dominated No. 18 James Madison on Friday evening in its season-opener at Dorrance Field, 14-2. Last season, the Dukes outlasted the Tar Heels by a one goal in overtime in their first game of the year. This time around, though, it was a dominant and healthy UNC that came out on top thanks to the return of several key contributors.
UNC redshirt-freshman Chloe Humphrey (2) shoots and scores during the UNC women's lacrosse game against James Madison University on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Dorrance Field.
The Tar Heels went 10-7 overall last season, marking North Carolina’s worst season by winning percentage since 2008. UNC also suffered its largest margin of defeat in program history with a 15-goal loss to Syracuse.
Injury was the leading storyline for Humphrey and North Carolina. She was confined to the sideline last year alongside redshirt junior defender Brooklyn Walker-Welch, redshirt sophomore attacker Marissa White and redshirt sophomore midfielder Kaleigh Harden — all three of whom were selected for the 2025 Preseason All-ACC Team.
But on Friday, all four faces were back on the field.
Humphrey led the offense with three goals, along with three forced turnovers, three ground balls and an assist. White and Harden both scored a goal.
UNC redshirt-sophomore Marissa White (21) celebrates after scoring during the UNC women's lacrosse game against JMU on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Dorrance Field.
Walker-Welch returned as the cornerstone of the Tar Heels defensive unit after fracturing her tibia. The 2023 First Team All-American renewed her role as the leader of the defense, picking up a ground ball, controlling the UNC clear up the field and holding a top-20 JMU squad to just two goals.
Entering the season, Walker-Welch was ranked No. 4 on ILWomen’s Top 50 Returning Players list and was the No. 1 defender. But even the Tewaaraton Award Watch List nomineesaid she had jitters before the game and felt like she was a first-year again.
“Being able to take my first one-v-one out here and knowing my entire team has my back just encouraging me the whole time, telling me they’re there, it felt the best,” Walker-Welch said.
Humphrey’s UNC debut was also put on delay. Humphrey entered her first season at North Carolina last year as the top-ranked overall recruit in the class of 2023. She was going to be joined on the field by her sister, Ashley, who transferred from Stanford last year.
But Humphrey was also struck with a season-ending injury. However, the Darien, Conn. native was quick to establish her prowess on the lacrosse field.
UNC redshirt-freshman Chloe Humphrey (2) lines up for the start of the UNC women's lacrosse game against JMU on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at Dorrance Field.
After UNC missed its first shot attempt and JMU attempted to clear the ball, Humphrey checked the stick of the JMU defender and regained possession. Humphrey was fouled on her way back to the goal, earning a free position shot. She cranked the ball to the inside left of the post, then threw her stick down in dramatic fashion. Her first career goal. North Carolina’s first goal of the game.
“I’ve been dreaming of this for I think 10 years now,” Humphrey said. “Obviously last year was devastating, but everything happens for a reason, so I think this is our time to shine as a team.”
The attacker ignited a 6-0 start for UNC. JMU scored once in the second quarter and notched another off a turnover with 30 seconds to go in the game, but it was all North Carolina on Friday, which led 24-9 in total shots on goal.
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As the Tar Heels seek to get even with the teams that conquered them last year, they’re doing it with a full-strength group. A group that’s hungry to return to the storied standard of North Carolina women’s lacrosse.
“We were missing a full half of our team last year,” head coach Jenny Levysaid. “I don’t know if it’s redemption, revenge, but how about just gettin’ on, gettin’ on and being great.”
