UNC women's lacrosse reflects on veteran leadership after win over Cal

Last season didn't live up to head coach Jenny Levy's expectations. 

The 2024 UNC women's lacrosse team went 10-7 — its worst record since 2004. Riddled with injuries, North Carolina lost in the first round of the ACC tournament and ended its season in the first round of the NCAA tournament. 

Entering her 30th season at the helm, Levy knew her team could do better. She has relied all season on experienced players who won the 2022 national championship. She wanted their final year to be similar to that undefeated season. 

“We met with a leadership committee all summer,” Levy said. “We just talked about things and set some goals and strategies for this year. We actually started working on this year last year, and that’s just really carried through."

North Carolina's last home game of the year offered an opportunity to reflect on what increased leadership has done for the team all season. The Tar Heels entered the day 13-0 as the last undefeated team left in Division I women's lacrosse.

UNC's women's lacrosse is ranked No. 1 in the nation, and on Saturday, they proved why. The Tar Heels defeated Cal, 21-7, on Senior Day to clinch the No. 1 seed in the ACC tournament. 

Sunday’s game was a celebration of the seniors and graduates who were suiting up at Dorrance Field one last time in the regular season. Their leadership has kept the team locked in since the summer. 

“We actually didn't have captains until the end of the fall, and everyone kind of forgot that we didn’t have captains because the leadership was so strong from our fifth years, our fourth years and our junior class.” Levy said. “So, we really have a combination of three classes that are all on the same page.”

This guidance translated into a blistering start for the Tar Heels against Cal. North Carolina owns the No. 1 scoring defense and No. 2 scoring offense in the nation and showed why during the match. 

The Tar Heels scored six straight goals in the first six minutes, scoring two within 10 seconds of each other.

“We just have so much trust in one another and know that no matter whose ball is on whose stick they’re gonna do what they need to do,” redshirt sophomore attacker Marissa White said. “We’re starting to build chemistry to work really well together.”

UNC scored again and again in the first half. 

Owning a 17-4 lead at the break, Levy pulled most of her starters and sent out the players who do the work behind the scenes. 

Graduate midfielder Nicole Humphrey, who returned to the team after spending a year away, scored her fifth goal of the season off of an assist from her sister, graduate attacker Ashley Humphrey. 

The three Humphrey sisters, including redshirt first-year attacker Chloe Humphrey who is a typical starter, are playing together for the first time this season. All three were ecstatic for the older sister's goal.

Redshirt senior goalie Stella Harrison was named one of the captains at the end of the fall. The fourth-string keeper waited in the wings all season, contributing in any way she could. 

“Every day, she brings so much positivity,” White said. “She’ll play left hand, right hand scout. She’ll do whatever we need from her. [She's] just so selfless and a really great leader for our team.” 

Harrison earned her chance at the start of the fourth quarter. 

In her first appearance of the season, Harrison held the goalie spot down, recording a game-leading four saves.

"It was everything," Harrison said. "I've been playing lacrosse basically my entire life, and to be able to have some minutes today with my favorite people in the entire world, playing the sport that I love, was just everything."

The seniors capped off an undefeated home season in front of their parents and biggest supporters, a reward Levy knew they deserved. That's why they worked on leadership all summer. That's why they have such strong, experienced players propelling them. 

 “We've [had] a great journey together,"  Harrison said, "and I wouldn’t want to do it with any other group.”

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