No. 2 UNC women's lacrosse dominates Virginia Tech, 21-9

No. 2 ranked UNC women’s lacrosse (9-0) defeated Virginia Tech (7-4), 21-9, Thursday night on Thompson Field. 

The Hokies won the face-off but the Tar Heels quickly forced a turnover and made their way to the other side of the field. Redshirt first-year attacker Chloe Humphrey attempted a shot but Aaliyah Jones saved the goal. 

Still on offense, Virginia Tech caused a turnover and a few moments later, Mia Pozzi found the back of the net to give the Hokies an early 1-0 lead. 

First-year midfielder Eliza Osburn was granted a free position shot, but Jones did not allow the ball to enter the net. 

About halfway through the first quarter, North Carolina capitalized on its player advantage. Graduate attacker Ashley Humphrey passed the ball from behind the net to junior attacker Kiley Mottice, who slammed in the goal to tie the game 1-1. 

Virginia Tech answered with back-to-back goals by Lauren Render to extend the Hokies’ lead by two.

On a second chance opportunity, senior attacker Olivia Vergano took the ball from behind the circle and smashed one in. Less than a minute later, Chloe Humphrey tied the game at three from a free position shot. 

North Carolina won the draw again and this time it was Ashley Humphrey who faked high and then went low to knock in another goal and give the Tar Heels their first lead of the night. In 90 seconds, UNC scored three-straight goals. 

A hat trick by Render tied the game 4-4 at the end of the first quarter. 

Back on the field, North Carolina won the draw, allowing Vergano to pick up her second goal of the night in the first minute. But it didn’t take long for the Hokies to tie it up again at five. 

Coming from behind the net, Ashley Humprey snuck the ball in between Jones and the goal to give UNC the lead once again. 

Tied at six, Chloe Humphrey was given a free position attempt. She passed the ball to redshirt sophomore attacker Marissa White who slammed the ball into the net. Vergano netted another goal off a hat trick to give North Carolina a two goal lead at the half.

UNC started the second half aggressive, with back-to-back goals from White and Chloe Humphrey to make the score 10-6 early in the third. 

Despite the Hokies scoring, the Tar Heels began to pull away after three consecutive goals by Chloe Humphrey, first-year Addison Pattillo and Vergano. 

Leading by six, Osburn knocked in her first goal of the night from the side to put the Tar Heels up 14-7. 

Chloe Humphrey scored for the fourth time of the night to enter the final quarter with an eight-point lead. The Tar Heels outscored the Hokies 7-1 in the third. 

Virginia Tech found the back of the net twice in the fourth quarter but was no match against UNC who scored six more goals, with first-year midfielder Kate Levy and graduate midfielder Nicole Humphrey adding to the double-digit lead. 

The Tar Heels, led by Vergano and Chloe Humphrey who each had five points, dominated in the second half to stay undefeated on the season. 

The Tar Heels will travel to Illinois to face Northwestern on March 27 at 8 p.m. 

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