Dominant draw play leads top-seeded UNC women's lacrosse to ACC championship game

CHARLOTTE — At the start of the second quarter against Clemson, UNC junior draw specialist Sarah Gresham met Clemson’s Kira Balis in the middle of the field. 

The official placed the ball between their sticks, pockets touching. On the whistle, the players pull their sticks upward and out, launching the ball into the air. The ball veered left. The circle players chased after it, sticks lowered as they prepared to scoop it up.

First-year midfielder Eliza Osburn outran Bridget Babcock to the ball. She scooped it up and sprinted to the offensive side of the field. 

“We have a lot of athleticism,” graduate midfielder Sophie Student said. “We’re able to use a lot of different people on the wings so that we’re always fresh and able to get the gritty ground balls and just kind of dig them out.”

Osburn passed the ball to first-year midfielder Kate Levy to ignite the offensive game plan. It led to back-to-back goals by redshirt sophomore attacker Marissa White and junior attacker Kiley Mottice to put North Carolina up by five. And so went the story that replayed for most of Friday's ACC semifinal matchup: overpowering the draw, controlling possession and scoring.  

No. 1 seed UNC women’s lacrosse team beat No. 5 seed Clemson, 17-7, at American Legion Memorial Stadium to advance to Sunday's ACC championship game. The Tar Heels dominated in the circle, winning eight out of 11 draws in the first half and winning 15 total.

“I think what I really like about our team is that we can do a great job on the draw and win possessions that way,” head coach Jenny Levy said. 

And while UNC's draw control is one of the team's strengths, it wasn't always that way.

At the start of the year, the team struggled with communication between the draw girl and the two wing players. But as the season went on, the team became more confident in themselves and each other.

Now, the Tar Heels are a top-30 team in both draw controls per game and draw control percentage.

“Our draw takers are amazing,” Osburn said. “And if the wings can trust them to put it where they’re saying, that’s what we have to do.” 

Specific practice drills have helped the Tar Heels reach this point.

Most of their practice is spent working on ground balls. Engaging in better communication all over the field has translated well to the face-off. 

Practice is a “battle,” and Osburn believes their sessions against each other are harder than any game they play in. 

The confidence and drills from practice have translated into game play, where both Osburn and Student trust that the draw girl will tell them where to go. Even if the ball doesn’t go exactly where they want it, the wings still work hard to get the ground ball.

“At the end of the day, we go in confident that we’re coming out with the ball,” Student said. “I think that’s what makes the difference.”

This has been especially important since the Tar Heels have been changing their strategies more. The team will switch it up every game to keep the opponents on their toes.”

"We really like to look at what our opponent is giving us," Osburn said. "And we try to manipulate their players as much as we can."

And as the Tar Heels look to win their eighth ACC championship and first since 2022 on Sunday, draw control will be crucial against second-seeded Boston College.

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