No. 2 UNC women’s lacrosse dominates No. 20 Notre Dame, 14-3, to stay undefeated

The No. 2 UNC women’s lacrosse team (11-0, 6-0 ACC) defeated No. 20 Notre Dame (6-6, 1-5 ACC), 14-3, Sunday afternoon at Arlotta Stadium. 

After an oscillating four minutes, the Tar Heels were sure to emphasize their dominance, overwhelming Notre Dame beyond come-back. 

Within the first minute, junior attacker Kiley Mottice scored. Then, the Fighting Irish swiftly followed and within two minutes, it was 1-1. 

The same thing happened in the following two minutes. 

Again, redshirt sophomore midfielder Kaleigh Harden scored a free position goal. Less than a minute later, Notre Dame was able to follow and fly one by the right side of redshirt first-year Betty Nelson. After only five minutes, the score was tied 2-2 and Notre Dame put up an impressive performance against UNC and its top defense. 

Redshirt sophomore attacker Marissa White fires the Tar Heels in front of the Irish after senior attacker Olivia Vergano sends it her way from the right side. Vergano then got her own, capping off her 150th career goal, and smacking her stick on the ground in celebration. 

Notre Dame fouled redshirt first-year attacker Chloe Humphrey hard, throwing her to the ground. Afterward, Humphrey capitalized on the free position goal, sending the Tar Heels up 5-2 on the Fighting Irish.

Despite a powerful beginning for Notre Dame, North Carolina strung together passes, maintained ball control, showed up defensively, and had full momentum rounding out the first quarter. 

The Humphrey connection opened the second quarter. Graduate attacker Ashley Humphrey tossed it up to Chloe Humphrey, who found just enough of a window to bury it on the outside, giving the Tar Heels a 4-point lead. This marked their 20th goal, assisted by each other. 

Sophomore midfielder Meghan O’Hare for Notre Dame broke through Nelson again with a shot right down the middle, attempting to close the gap with a 6-3 UNC lead. 

Only a minute later, Chloe Humphrey made it a four point lead again after a free position shot earned after a foul by sophomore defender Sloane Ginevan. This marked Chloe Humphrey’s third goal of the game. 

Ashley Humphrey was able to find Chloe Humphrey again for her fourth goal of the game, making the score 8-3 and marking her sixth straight game where she has scored four or more goals. 

White buried her second goal after she sent one right by Notre Dame goalie Isabel Pithie emphasizing a North Carolina 6-point lead going into the half. UNC closed out the half on a 7-1 run. 

After a short halftime due to weather, the Tar Heels were first to score. The ball swung around the circle and at the top of the 8-meter line, Vergano had enough time and space to wind up and shoot pefectly from the right side, making the score 10-3. 

North Carolina was able to find their 11th goal with another Ashley Humphrey to Chloe Humphrey goal. Ashley Humphrey came around from behind the net to find Chloe Humphrey near post, sending it soaring past Pithie. 

Two minutes later, it was Ashley Humphrey’s turn to score with an assist from Vergano, leaving the Irish nine points behind. 

The Humphrey sisters were not done yet. Starting a play with Ashley Humphrey, lobbing it behind the net to Chloe Humphrey who sent a dime straight to the front of the net to find her other sister graduate midfielder Nicole Humphrey, sending the Tar Heels up by ten points. 

After a ten point difference, the game transitioned to a running clock. 

Chloe Humphrey found the back of the net again for her 50th goal of the season, after a free position shot sent low by the left foot of Pithie. 

At the top of the fourth quarter, the game was paused due to a weather delay. 

The game did not resume after the weather delay and was called to end with 14:19 left in the 4th quarter. 

The Tar Heels will have a week off until they host No. 1 Boston College at Dorrance Field on Saturday at 11 a.m. 

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