North Carolina
Richmond
Tar Heels Control Richmond, 14-7
May 13, 2007 | Women's Lacrosse
May 13, 2007
CHAPEL HILL - The University of North Carolina women's lacrosse team got multiple goals from five different players and led from start to finish in a 14-7 win over the University of Richmond in NCAA Tournament first-round action on Sunday afternoon at Fetzer Field.
With the win, sixth-seeded Carolina improves to 16-4 this season and advances to next weekend's NCAA Tournament quarterfinals against Virginia. UNC will be making its third consecutive appearance in the NCAA quarterfinals, having lost in the round of eight to Duke in 2005 and Northwestern in 2006. Both of those contests were road games for Carolina. Richmond falls to 15-5 with the loss.
Sisters Kelly Taylor and Kristen Taylor both scored three goals to lead the Tar Heels with Kristen adding an assist. Chrissy Rude, Julia Ryan and Christina Juras all scored twice for Carolina, while Megan Bosica led the players with three assists in the contest. Jess Allen had a goal and an assist for UNC, Kelly Renzi scored one goal and Meg Freshwater dished out one assist. Mandy Friend and Ashley Friend both scored twice for Richmond.
"I really wanted us to set the tempo in the game, especially speed-wise," UNC head coach Jenny Levy said afterward. "I wanted us to attack the cage, yet figure out their defense. And I wanted our defense to not let them spread it out and do what they wanted to do. That was our focus all week and it was really nice to see us show up today. I was really proud of my team. I thought the execution off the draw control and transitioning the ball from my defense was probably the best I've seen all year. Those little things make big differences."
The Tar Heels out-shot Richmond 40-19 and controlled 16 draws to the Spiders' seven in the game. Carolina also committed just eight turnovers as a team while forcing 16 Richmond miscues.
In the first half, Carolina jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first 3:13 of action. Juras scored the first goal at the 28:09 mark off an assist from Bosica. Kelly Taylor followed at 27:13 with a free position goal and Kristen Taylor made it 3-0 off a Bosica assist at 26:47.
Richmond scored three of the next four goals to cut the lead to 4-3 with 19:21 left in the half. Ashley Friend, Mandy Friend and Morghan Vahue scored the Spider goals during the run. The Tar Heels responded with a 4-0 run of their own to lead 8-3. Jess Allen scored on a free position opportunity, followed by an unassisted goal by Rude and back-to-back goals from Kelly Taylor. Ashley Friend's free position goal with 0:53 left in the half to cut the Tar Heel lead to 8-4 at the half.
After the break, the Tar Heels scored the first four goals coming out of the lockerroom to take a commanding, 12-4 advantage. Kristen Taylor scored twice during the run, with Ryan and Renzi adding goals as well.
The Spiders did not score their first field goal of the game until there was just 7:51 left in the game. The first four goals of the game for Richmond came on free position attempts.
The Tar Heels advance to next weekend's NCAA Tournament quarterfinals. Carolina will play at third-seeded Virginia on Saturday May 19. The Cavaliers defeated Princeton, 19-10, on Sunday afternoon in Charlottesville, Va.
