University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Delaware
No. 8 Men's Lacrosse Storms Back For 8-7 Win Over Delaware
March 11, 2000 | Men's Lacrosse
March 11, 2000
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.--Four games into the 2000 season, the eighth-ranked University of North Carolina men's lacrosse team has mastered the art of winning the one-goal game.
For the third time in four outings Coach Dave Klarmann's team overcame a first-half deficit and rallied to win in the second half as the Tar Heels beat 16th-ranked Delaware 8-7 before 1,632 fans at Fetzer Field.
UNC senior attackman Matt Crofton celebrated his 22nd birthday Saturday afternoon by leading the Tar Heels with three goals and one assist. It was his goal with 5:03 remaining in the fourth quarter that broke a 7-7 tie and ended up being the eventual game-winner as the Tar Heels withstood several offensive surges by the Fightin' Blue Hens in the game's final minutes.
With the victory, Carolina improved to 4-0 on the season, the first time UNC has won its first four of the campaign since 1996. Delaware fell to 2-2 with the loss. The win gave the Tar Heels the all-time series edge over the Blue Hens 6-5 and avenged an 18-16 loss to Delaware last year at Newark, Del.
It was a game that the Tar Heels dominated statistically but UNC's errant shooting proved to be the Achilles' Heel for the home team. Only 20 of UNC's 44 shots were on goal and the inability to finish chances plagued the Tar Heels all afternoon. But in the end, the Tar Heels had enough tenacity to come back from a 5-3 halftime deficit and rally to win by limiting the Blue Hens to only two second half goals.
Delaware jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead on goals by Jason Motta and Dave Christopher in the first nine minutes of the contest. UNC senior middie Jordan Herrick cut the lead to one goal later in the opening period but a tally by Jason Lavey with 1:01 left in the first quarter gave the Hens a 3-1 lead.
Goals by Crofton and senior attackman Chase Martin, who had two goals and one assist on the afternoon, tied the game at 3-3 less than four minutes into the second quarter. At that point freshman midfielder Ryan Metzbower took over for Delaware. He would be the only Blue Hen to score the remainder of the game. He had two goals in the second quarter, the second on an extra-man situation to stake the Blue Hens to a 5-3 halftime lead.
As it did against both Fairfield and Navy earlier in the season, the Tar Heels started the second half with fire in their eyes. Unassisted goals by Martin, attackman Jeff Sonke and freshman midfielder Kyle Bell gave Carolina its first lead of the game at 6-5 with 10:40 left in the third quarter. But just 18 seconds after Bell's goal Metzbower tied the game for UD at 6-6 with an unassisted goal of his own.
Carolina retook the lead at 7-6 with 8:06 left in the third quarter when Crofton scored his second goal of the game, on an extra-man situation, assisted by fellow senior Martin. The Tar Heels nursed that one-goal advantage for over 10 minutes before Metzbower tied the game again with 13:04 to play when Metzbower scored his fourth goal of the game, again on an extra-man situation, assisted by Lavey.
The tense final 13 minutes of the game would have plenty of highs and lows for both sides but only Crofton dented the scoreboard and the Tar Heels were thrilled to escape with the victory. UNC goalkeeper Kris Blindenbacher came up big for the Tar Heels in the fourth quarter as he made four of his eight saves in the final 15 minutes. David Mullen played well between the pipes for the Fightin' Blue Hens with 12 saves of his own.
The Tar Heels will rest three days before welcoming 12th-ranked Pennsylvania Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at Fetzer Field. Having already avenged losses to Navy and Delaware from last year, Carolina will be looking to do the same against the Quakers on Tuesday night. Penn defeated UNC 14-7 in Chapel Hill last season.
