University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC Hosts Orange For 1st Time Since 1993 Saturday
April 9, 2015 | Men's Lacrosse
#4 Tar Heels To Host #2 Orange Saturday at Fetzer
2015 UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA MEN'S LACROSSE GAME NOTES
Game 13: North Carolina Tar Heels (11-1 overall, 2-0 ACC, #4 USILA Division I Men's Lacrosse Coaches Poll/#4 Cascade/Maverik Media Poll) vs. Syracuse Orange (8-1 overall, 2-1 ACC, #2 USILA Division I Men's Lacrosse Coaches Poll/#2 Cascade/Maverik Media Poll)
Saturday, April 11, 2015
4 p.m. EDT
Fetzer Field
Chapel Hill, N.C.
KEY LINKS FOR SATURDAY'S GAME
Live Stats: GoHeels.com Gamewatcher
Television Information: ESPNU National Telecast; Anish Shroff, Play-by-Play Announcer; Ryan Flanagan, Analyst
Webcast Information: ESPN3/WatchESPN
Purchase Tickets To UNC-Syracuse Game: GoHeels.com Ticket Center
2015 UNC Lacrosse Media Guide: View 2015 Media Guide
Watch Carolina Lacrosse Highlights: UNCTarHeelsAthletics On YouTube
2015 UNC Lacrosse Statistics: Cumulative Statistics
2015 Carolina Lacrosse Game Promotions: Promotional Flyer
UNC Lacrosse Player & Coach Biographies: Meet The 2015 Tar Heels
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
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Follow The Tar Heels On Twitter: @UNCMensLacrosse
Follow The Tar Heels On Instagram: Follow The Heels
CAROLINA WELCOMES SYRACUSE TO FETZER FIELD FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1993: The University of North Carolina men's lacrosse team, under the direction of seventh-year head coach Joe Breschi, is back in action in Chapel Hill, N.C., on Saturday, April 11 when the Tar Heels play host to the Syracuse Orange at 4 p.m. at Fetzer Field. The game is a part of a doubleheader with the UNC women's lacrosse team facing off against Syracuse at 12 noon. The men's game will be nationally televised on ESPNU and simulcast on ESPN3/WatchESPN. Anish Shroff will handle the play-by-play for ESPNU with former UNC All-America and National Defenseman of the Year Ryan Flanagan providing the color commentary.
Saturday's game will mark the 19th meeting between the Tar Heels and the Orange since the series started with an NCAA quarterfinal game in 1981. The Orange have dominated the series to date, holding a 12-6 edge overall, including wins in the last four meetings between the two programs. Saturday's game will mark the seventh game between the two teams in Chapel Hill and the sixth game at Fetzer Field. Carolina is 5-1 against Syracuse in Chapel Hill. The two teams last played at Fezter Field on March 6, 1993 with the Tar Heels prevailing 14-10.
Series Notes: Overall, Syracuse, 12-6; In Chapel Hill, UNC 5-1 (1-0 at Navy Field, 4-1 at Fetzer Field); In Syracuse, UNC 1-7; At Neutral Sites, UNC 0-4. Last Meeting: Syracuse 11, North Carolina 10 in double overtime at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y., on April 12, 2014. Previous Meetings in Chapel Hill: May 20, 1981, UNC 13, Syracuse 6 (NCAA Quarterfinals at Navy Field); March 12, 1986, UNC 9, Syracuse 7 (at Fetzer Field); March 14, 1987, UNC 13, Syracuse 11 (at Fetzer Field); March 11, 1989, Syracuse 11, UNC 7 (at Fetzer Field); March 9, 1991, UNC 10, Syracuse 3 (at Fetzer Field); March 6, 1993, UNC 14, Syracuse 10 (at Fetzer Field).
SATURDAY'S BASICS: The Tar Heels are ranked fourth in the U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Division I Coaches poll and the Cascade/Maverik media poll run in conjunction with Inside Lacrosse Magazine. The Tar Heels are ranked behind Notre Dame, Syracuse and Maryland in both polls. Carolina (11-1) began its season with seven successive home games, going 7-0 in that span including victories over Johns Hopkins, top-ranked Denver and 2014 NCAA quarterfinalist Bryant. The Tar Heels played on the road for the first time on March 14 and came away with a 16-11 victory at Richmond. On March 17, the Tar Heels built a 10-goal second half lead against #16 Harvard and eventually defeated the Crimson 15-10 at Fetzer Field Tuesday night before a national TV audience on ESPN3. UNC then made the cross-country trip to play Maryland in Santa Ana, California, falling behind 7-2 before staging a furious rally that fell short in a 10-8 loss. Carolina rebounded after the loss to Maryland to win its first two ACC games, winning at home against Duke 15-14 in a shootout and then traveling to Virginia to win last Friday under the lights at Klockner Stadium 10-6.
Syracuse has started its season 8-1. The Orange is ranked second in both the coaches and media polls. Syracuse has played seven nationally ranked opponents in its first nine games while UNC has played six nationally-ranked opponents to date. Syracuse is 2-1 in the ACC and its only loss this year came at Notre Dame 13-12 in double overtime. The Fighting Irish ascended to the #1 spot in the polls after that win. Syracuse had been #1 since the Tar Heels had beaten previously #1-rated Denver on February 27.
SATURDAY'S TV COVERAGE: Saturday's game will be nationally televised on ESPNU. Anish Shroff will be the play-by-play announcer for the game while former Tar Heel All-America Ryan Flanagan will serve as the analyst. The game will be simulcast on ESPN3/WatchESPN.
UNC HEAD COACH JOE BRESCHI: Joe Breschi, UNC Class of 1990, leads the Tar Heels in his seventh season at Carolina. Earlier this year, he coached his 100th game at UNC in Carolina's 2015 season opener versus Furman. Breschi is 80-31 in his seven years at Carolina, a winning percentage of 72.1 percent. He also coached 11 years at Ohio State and is 172-94 overall in 18 seasons as a head coach. His overall winning percentage at Ohio State and UNC is 64.7 percent.
On April 3, UNC head coach Joe Breschi won his 80th game at Carolina, improving to 80-31 in seven seasons at his alma mater. His 80th win came in Carolina's 10-6 win at Virginia.
TAR HEELS HOPING TO CONTINUE WINNING WAYS: North Carolina enters the Syracuse game with an 11-1 record. That's the best Tar Heel record since Carolina began the 2010 with an 11-1 mark. If the Tar Heels can pull off a win against the Orange to go to 12-1 that will be Carolina's best record after 13 games since the 1993 team started 12-1.
Carolina has started the ACC season with a 2-0 mark. The last time Carolina was 2-0 in the ACC was 2010. The last time the Tar Heels won their opening three game of the conference season was 1992.
SATURDAY SPECIAL EVENTS: There will be multiple special events going on in conjunction with Saturday's matchup between the Orange and the Tar Heels.
• Saturday will be Senior Day at Fetzer Field. Eleven Tar Heel seniors will be honored in pre-game ceremonies beginning at 3:35 p.m. UNC's senior class includes defenseman Jake Bailey, attackman Jimmy Bitter, attackman Walker Chafee, midfielder Joe Costigan, midfielder Drew Hays, defenseman Derek Henson, midfielder Duncan Hutchins, defenseman Ryan Kilpatrick, attackman Joey Sankey, defenseman Matt Shannon and midfielder Chad Tutton.
• Saturday marks Alumni Day for all past Tar Heel men's lacrosse lettermen. It will be the 50th year reunion for the 1965 team and those players will be honored between the first and second quarters. UNC had a varsity lacrosse team from 1949-54 before it was demoted to club status from 1955-63. Carolina reinstated lacrosse as a varsity sport in 1964. The 50-year honorees will be on campus to be recognized for their role in the revival of the sport in Chapel Hill.
• In a very special ceremony, the UNC men's lacrosse program will be dedicating the head coach's office in the Carolina locker room at the Loudermilk Center for Excellence in honor of Kevin Reichardt, Class of 1997. Reichardt came to Carolina in the fall of 1993 from Annapolis, Md. (St. Mary's High School). After a breakout freshman season in 1994, Reichardt lost his life to a senseless crime in January 1995. His teammates have raised the funds to rename the head coach's office and shortly after his death Carolina's team award for the most improved player was renamed in honor of Reichardt.
TICKETS, TICKETS, TICKETS: Fans should plan for an early arrival at Fetzer Field as a large crowd is expected. The Carmichael Arena ticket office will open a half hour early at 2:30 p.m. Gates will also open at 2:30 as will media and player will call.
Some Facts To Know About Ticketing For Saturday
• It is Rams Club Day. Free admission is offered to all members of the UNC Educational Foundation.
• All UNC students, faculty and staff will be admitted free of charge by showing their UNC One Cards at the Fetzer Field gate.
• All seating at Fetzer Field is general admission.
• For the second successive game on field bleacher seating will be open to all fans in attendance. The seating will be available behind the goal on the Eddie Smith Fieldhouse end of Fetzer Field.
• All general admission tickets are $5. Youth ages six and under are admitted free to Fetzer Field. Tickets for groups of 10 or more are discounted to $3.
• To avoid long lines and entrance delays, fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance. Purchase individual tickets at this link and purchase groups tickets at this link.
TENTATIVE DEPTH CHART FOR SATURDAY'S CONTEST: Carolina's pre-game depth chart for the game versus Syracuse looks at follows. This is a tentative depth chart and subject to change.
Starting Attack Unit - #1, Luke Goldstock, Sophomore; #4, Jimmy Bitter, Senior; #11, Joey Sankey, Senior.
Attack Reserve - #18, Walker Chafee, Senior
1st Midfield Unit - #0, Steve Pontrello, Junior; #12, Chad Tutton, Senior; #22, Shane Simpson, Sophomore.
2nd Midfield Unit - #2, Patrick Kelly, Junior; #32, Duncan Hutchins, Redshirt Senior; # 42, Peyton Klawinski, Sophomore
Short Stick Defensive Midfielders - #3, Brett Bedard, Sophomore; #6, Jake Matthai, Junior; #21, Michael Tagliaferri, Redshirt Sophomore; #28, Tate Jozokos, Sophomore; #44, Drew Hays, Senior
Long Stick Defensive Midfielders - #15, Ryan Kilpatrick, Senior; #66, Matt Shannon, Senior; #77, Zach Powers, Junior
Face-Off- #24, Stephen Kelly, Sophomore; #47, Brent Armstrong, Junior
Close Defense - #17, Austin Pifani, Sophomore; #40, Jake Bailey, Senior; #99, Evan Connell, Junior
Man Down Defense - #7, Mark Rizzo, Redshirt Sophomore
Goalkeeper - #26, Kieran Burke, Junior
LAST TIME OUT FOR CAROLINA: The fourth-ranked North Carolina men's lacrosse team broke open a tie game in the third quarter by outscoring sixth-ranked Virginia 6-1 over a span of 25 minutes to put away a 10-6 victory before 3,900 fans at Klockner Stadium on Friday, April 3. Steve Pontrello scored back-to-back goals for UNC at 12:39 and 11:47 of the third quarter to give the Tar Heels the lead for good. Balanced scoring was the name of the game for the Tar Heels as Joey Sankey led the Tar Heels with four goals to record his 20th career hat trick. He also added an assist. Jimmy Bitter had two goals and two assists for the Tar Heels while Steve Pontrello scored twice and Luke Goldstock had a goal and an assist. Kieran Burke made 12 saves for UNC while allowing just six goals. The six goals scored by Virginia were the fewest the Wahoos have notched against Carolina since April 7, 2001 when UNC beat Virginia 7-5 at Klockner Stadium. Senior Jake Bailey led an outstanding effort as he caused three turnovers and scooped up eight ground balls, the second most he has had in his career. Ryan Kilpatrick had five ground balls for the Tar Heels.
UNC's defense limited Virginia to a season-low six goals. The Cavaliers came into the game averaging 13.6 goals per game with a previous season-low nine versus Syracuse on March 1 and against Notre Dame on March 14. Virginia suffered only its sixth loss in history in a night game at Klockner Stadium falling to 33-6 all-time under the lights. Carolina's owns two of those six victories over UVA, having also won 11-9 on April 20, 2012.
TAR HEEL ODDS AND ENDS HEADING INTO SYRACUSE
As A Team
• Of Carolina's 179 goals in the first 12 games of the season, a total of 117 of them have been assisted. 65.4 percent of Carolina's goals this season have been assisted as compared to just 47 percent during the 2014 season.
• UNC is currently 41-28 against nationally-ranked teams in Coach Joe Breschi's seven years as head coach. The Tar Heels are 73-12 in games in which they have scored 10 or more goals under Coach Joe Breschi.
• After its 15-14 win over Duke on March 29, North Carolina has now won 13 straight home games heading into the April 11 battle against Syracuse at Fetzer Field. That's the longest home winning streak since UNC won 26 games in a row in Chapel Hill more than two decades ago. That streak started with a 26-13 win over Duke on April 21, 1990 and was ended by Virginia on April 9, 1994 when the Cavaliers won 16-6 at Fetzer Field. The Tar Heels are 9-0 at home in 2015 and last lost in Chapel Hill on March 1, 2014 versus Notre Dame, 11-10.
• Carolina has played six nationally ranked opponents this season (based on rank at the time game was played). Syracuse, Villanova, Virginia and Loyola are the only teams to face more with seven each.
• Carolina has recorded 10 or more wins for the seventh straight season, a school first. UNC had won 10 or more in six straight seasons from 1989-94 for the only other time with six successive double digit win seasons.
• UNC's starting attack unit of Jimmy Bitter, Luke Goldstock and Joey Sankey has combined for 88 goals, 76 assists and 166 points in 12 games this season. A year ago, the starting attack unit (Jimmy Bitter, Joey Sankey, Pat Foster) had 81 goals, 50 assists and 131 points in 15 games. In three less games this season, UNC's attack has scored seven more goals than a year ago while recording 26 more assists and 35 more points.
• The following Tar Heels have all recorded season highs for ground balls in their careers – Stephen Kelly with 66, Jimmy Bitter with 40, Jake Bailey with 37, Tate Jozokos with 33, Luke Goldstock with 26, Zach Powers with 21, Jake Matthai with 17 and Michael Tagliaferri with 17.
• UNC defenders have gotten in the scoring act this season. Ryan Kilpatrick has three goals this season after scoring twice in his first three years as a Tar Heel. He also had an assist versus Virginia. Jake Bailey has two goals and one assist after scoring just twice in his first three years. Tate Jozokos and Michael Tagliaferri, who both have played primarily at short stick defensive midfield, have nine and eight points, respectively. They rank seventh and eighth on the team in scoring.
• Austin Pifani leads the Tar Heels with 15 caused turnovers. He had 10 during the entire 2014 season. Jake Bailey has 13 caused turnovers, the most he has ever had in a season (he had 12 in 2013). Zach Powers has 12 caused turnovers after having just eight in his first two years combined. Ryan Kilpatrick has caused 10 caused turnovers for the Tar Heels.
Brent Armstrong
• Brent Armstrong won a career high seven face-offs and had a career-high four ground balls versus Maryland on March 21.
Jake Bailey
• Jake Bailey had a career-high 10 ground balls versus Bryant. His previous high in a game was five.
• Bailey has three points this season after having two in his first three years combined. He had both a goal and an assist versus Harvard on March 17 and the game-clinching goal versus Denver on February 27.
• Jake Bailey's eight ground balls versus Virginia on April 3 were the second highest total of his career.
• His 13 caused turnovers are the most he has ever had in a season (12 in 2013).
Jimmy Bitter
• Jimmy Bitter's 53-game point scoring streak is the second longest active streak in NCAA Division I.
• Jimmy Bitter leads all active Tar Heels with 20 career hat tricks, tied with Joey Sankey in that statistic.
• Jimmy Bitter has 61 points this season in 12 games. He had 37 points all of last season in the 14 games he played in. Bitter's 61 points are the most he has had in a season in his career (previous high was 52 in 2013) and his 32 assists are the most he has ever had in a single season (20 in 2013). The 61 points equal the 10th most in a single season in UNC history. His 32 assists equal the sixth most in a single season in the Carolina record book.
• Jimmy Bitter now has 191 career points, which ranks fifth in UNC history behind Marcus Holman, Joey Sankey, Bruce Lediwth and Bert Fett. On Tuesday, March 17, he moved past his brother Billy Bitter (2008-11) on the UNC scoring chart. Billy Bitter had 175 points in his career.
• Jimmy Bitter has scored 118 goals in his career. He is now the third most prolific goal scorer in UNC history, trailing just Bert Fett (128 goals from 1972-75) and Marcus Holman (121 goals from 2010-13).
• Jimmy Bitter now has 73 career assists, the 11th most in Tar Heel history.
• During the 2015 season, Jimmy Bitter currently ranks fifth in NCAA Division I in assists per game at 2.67. He is also fifth in points per game at 5.08. He leads the ACC in points per game and is second in assists per game.
• Jimmy Bitter's 191 career points ranks seventh amongst all active NCAA Division I players. Bitter is tied for eighth amongst all active Division I goal scorers with 118. He is 16th amongst active players in career assists with 73.
• Jimmy Bitter tied his career high for goals in a game with five versus Harvard on March 17. He also had seven points versus the Crimson, matching his career high. He set career highs for assists in a game with five and ground balls in a game with seven in the win at Richmond.
• In his career, Bitter has 37 multi-goal games, 22 multi-assist games and 48 multi-point games.
Kieran Burke
• Kieran Burke has started the last five games for the Tar Heels, making double digits saves in each game. His 21 saves versus Harvard on March 17 were second most he has had in a game in his career. His career high is 23 versus Virginia on April 6, 2013.
• Kieran Burke made 12 saves and allowed just six goals against Virginia on April 3, giving him his second best save percentage of the season at .667. In two career games at Klockner Stadium, Burke has made 35 saves and allowed 13 goals.
Luke Goldstock
• Luke Goldstock has 49 points this season after having just 10 as a freshman in 2014 when he was the first player off the bench at attack. He leads UNC with 35 goals and also has 14 assists. As a freshman he had seven goals and three assists.
• Luke Goldstock's 35 goals are the most by a UNC sophomore in a season since Billy Bitter had 46 goals in 2009. The 35 goals equal the 15th most in a single season in UNC history.
• During the 2015 season, Luke Goldstock ranks 11th in the nation and third in the ACC in goals scored per game at 2.92. Goldstock ranks 17th in the NCAA and fifth in the ACC in shooting percentage at .455.
• Goldstock recorded career highs for goals in a game with six versus both Bryant and Richmond. He had a career high four assists versus Manhattan as well as a career high nine points versus the Jaspers. He scooped up a career high five ground balls versus Duke.
• Luke Goldstock has 10 career multi-goal games, three career multi-assist games and 13 career multi-point games.
Duncan Hutchins
• Duncan Hutchins matched his career high for goals in a game with two versus Furman and UMass, equaled his career high for assists in a game with two versus Bryant and matched his career high for points in a game with three versus Furman.
• Hutchins has four career multi-point games, three career multi-assist games and 10 career multi-point games.
Tate Jozokos
• Jozokos has four goals and five assists this year after having just one assist as a freshman.
• Jozokos had a goal, an assist and a career-high five ground balls in the win over #1 Denver. He was named ACC and NCAA Defensive Player of the Week the following week.
• Jozokos has seven games with three or more ground balls. He scored twice in the game versus Maryland.
Patrick Kelly
• Patrick Kelly has 11 points this season, one more point than he had a year ago.
• Kelly has three career multi-goal games, two career multi-point games and seven career multi-point games.
Stephen Kelly
• Kelly won 143 face-offs this year, the eighth most in a season in UNC history.
• Kelly has won 10 or more face-offs in eight games this year. He has eight games with five or more ground balls.
• His 22 face-off wins against Duke were a career high (previous was 15 versus Princeton in 2014). The total was one shy of the school record of 23 by Shane Walterhoefer versus Ohio State in 2008. It marked only the fourth time in school history a player has won as many as 22 face-offs and the first time since Walterhoefer versus UMBC in 2009.
• Kelly's 11 ground balls versus Duke marked his second highest total ever. He had a career best 13 versus Princeton last year.
Ryan Kilpatrick
• Has scored three goals this season (one each versus Furman, Denver, Manhattan) after scoring twice in his first three years combined.
• Kilpatrick matched his career high for ground balls in a game with five at UVA on April 3. He also had five versus Fairfield on February 23, 2013.
Peyton Klawinski
• As a scout team player in 2014, Peyton Klawinski played in four games, scoring three goals. The sophomore midfielder from Memphis, Tenn., was elevated to the first midfield at the start of the 2015 season and has responded with 14 goals and three assists for 17 points in 11 games.
• Recorded hat tricks versus High Point, UMass and Richmond.
• Has five career multi-goal games and six career multi-point games.
Jake Matthai
• Matthai posted a career high six ground balls against Furman.
Austin Pifani
• Notched his second career goal versus UMass.
• Pifani tied his career high for ground balls in a game with five versus High Point.
• He equaled his career high for caused turnovers in a game with three versus UMass. He has 15 caused turnovers this year after having 10 in 2014.
Zach Powers
• Powers has 21 ground balls and 12 caused turnovers this season after having 11 and eight, respectively, in his first two years combined
• Against High Point he had career highs for ground balls with seven and caused turnovers with three.
Joey Sankey
• Joey Sankey's 48-game point streak is tied for the third longest active streak in NCAA Division I.
• Joey Sankey has 20 career hat tricks, matching Jimmy Bitter for the team lead in that category.
• Joey Sankey's 30 assists this year are the most he has had in a single season in his career and the fourth time in four years he has exceeded 20 assists in a season. He had 22 as a freshman, 20 as a sophomore and 24 as a junior. His season high for points was 57 in 2014. He currently has 54 points this season.
• Joey Sankey has 211 career points. He earned the 200th point of his career when he scored against Maryland on March 21 with 23 seconds left in the third quarter. Sankey trails only Marcus Holman (213 career points) on the UNC all-time point-scoring list heading into the Syracuse game. Holman played at Carolina from 2010-13.
• Joey Sankey now has 115 career goals, which is the fourth highest total in UNC history behind Bert Fett, Marcus Holman and Jimmy Bitter.
• Joey Sankey currently has 92 career assists. That is the tied for the third highest assist total in UNC history behind Bruce Ledwith (119 from 1970-73) and Michael Burnett (106 from 1980-83) and matching Marcus Holman (92 from 2010-13).
• During the 2015 season, Joey Sankey currently ranks sixth in NCAA Division I in assists per game at 2.50 while he is 13th in points per game at 4.50.
• Joey Sankey's 211 career points are the third most amongst active players behind Albany's Lyle Thompson's 337 and Denver's Welsey Berg's 213. Sankey's 115 career goals are the 10th most amongst all active NCAA Division I players. Sankey's 96 assists are tied for fifth amongst active NCAA Division I players.
• Sankey matched his career highs for assists in a game with four against UMass and Maryland. His seven points versus the Minutemen matches his career best as well. He has had seven points in a game four times in his career.
• In his career he has 37 multi-goal games, 31 multi-assist games and 52 multi-point games.Michael Tagliaferri
• Tagliaferri recorded his second career hat trick versus Manhattan.
• He has recorded a career high three ground balls in a game three times (Richmond, Maryland, Duke).
• Tags has 17 ground balls this season, despite missing the first two games with injury. He had four ground balls all of last year.
Chad Tutton
• Chad Tutton has 96 career goals which places him 15th in UNC history.
• Chad Tutton has scored 25 goals this season. This is the fourth successive season in which the Canadian midfielder has reached the 20-goal plateau. He had 20 goals as a freshman, 28 goals as a sophomore, 23 goals as a junior and now 25 as a senior.
• Chad Tutton's 95 career goals are the 19th most amongst active NCAA Division I players.
• Tutton tied his career high for goals in a game with four versus Duke. He has done it three times in his career, twice against Duke.
• Tutton has four hat tricks this season and 16 for his career.
• Tutton equaled his career high for assists with two each versus Johns Hopkins and Richmond.
• He leads UNC with six man-up goals.
* Tutton has 26 multi-goal games in his career, five multi-assist games and 33 multi-point games.
CREDIT TO MARYLAND'S DEFENSE: North Carolina faced the nation's top-ranked defense when it played Maryland on March 21 in Santa Ana, Calif. The Terps came into the game allowing less than five goals per contest. They limited UNC's powerful offense, which had been averaging 15 goals a game, to just eight tallies in a 10-8 win over Carolina. The eight goals scored against the Terps marked only the third time in the 36 games that the Tar Heels have been limited to single digits in the goal scoring column. The only other occasions in those 36 games came in a 9-8 overtime loss at Duke on March 15, 2015 and a 9-5 loss at Denver on May 10, 2015.
GOLDSTOCK'S AMAZING RUN: Sophomore attackman Luke Goldstock scored 17 goals and passed for six assists in a three-game span against Manhattan, Bryant and Richmond in early March. In the process, he tied the school record for goals scored in a three-game span and fell one point short of tying the school record for points in a three-game span (within a single season). Goldstock had five goals and four assists against Manhattan on March 7, six goals against Bryant on March 10 and six goals and one assist against Richmond on March 14. With the 17 goals, Goldstock tied the school record for goals in a three-game span held by Bert Fett who had six versus William & Mary, seven versus Washington College and four versus Duke in successive games during the 1974 season. In those same three games, Fett had nine points versus William & Mary, eight points versus Washington College and six points versus Duke, giving him 23 points in three games, one more than the 22 points Goldstock totaled. The actual school record for most points in a three-game span belongs to Marcus Holman. He had 26 points in three successive games spanning two seasons. He had 10 points and eight points in games against Michigan and Denver to close the 2012 season and then had eight points in the 2013 season opener versus Air Force.
BACK-TO-BACK SIX GOAL GAMES FOR GOLDSTOCK: For three successive games, sophomore attackman Luke Goldstock set or tied his career high for goals scored in a game. The Niskayuna, N.Y. native came into the season with a career-high three goals versus Bucknell on March 11, 2014. He matched that total this season versus Furman on February 7, versus UMass on February 14 and versus Johns Hopkins on February 21. Goldstock set a new career high with five goals against Manhattan on March 7 and then bettered that mark by scoring six times versus Bryant on March 10 and six times again against Richmond on March 14. Goldstock's four assists against Manhattan stand as a career high and his nine points versus the Jaspers are a career best. The nine points against Manhattan were the most by a Tar Heel player since Marcus Holman had 10 points versus Michigan on May 5, 2012.
SHARING THE BALL: Against Richmond on March 14, the Tar Heels recorded assists on 14 of their 16 goals, an amazing clip of 87.5 percent. That was the highest percentage of assisted goals the Tar Heels recorded in a game since April 22, 2012 when UNC had assists on eight of its nine goals against Duke, a percentage of 88.9 percent. UNC topped that percentage when all eight of its goals against Maryland on March 21 were of the assisted variety, albeit in a loss. The Tar Heels currently are ranked third in the country in assists per game with 9.75 per game. UNC has 117 assists on 179 goals this season. That's a percentage of assisted goals of 65.4. A year ago, UNC recorded assists on only 47.0 percent of its goals.
POINTS STREAKS FOR JIMMY AND JOEY CONTINUE: Carolina senior attackmen Jimmy Bitter and Joey Sankey possess the second and third longest point scoring streaks currently active in NCAA Division I. Jimmy Bitter has recorded points in 53 successive games dating back to March 16, 2012. That is the second longest streak in the nation behind only Shayne Adams of Detroit, who has recorded points in 56 successive games. During the 53-game stretch, Bitter has recorded 109 goals and 71 assists for 180 points. Bitter broke the school record for consecutive games with a point against Maryland on March 21. The previous school record was 50 successive games with at least one point. Attackman Dennis Goldstein (February 28, 1989 to May 27, 1991) and midfielder Ryan Wade (May 11, 1991 to May 21, 1994) shared the previous record. Joey Sankey has recorded at least one point in a game in 48 consecutive contests. That is the third longest active streak in the nation behind Adams and Bitter. Sankey's scoring streak began on April 20, 2012. During that span, Sankey has recorded 97 goals and added 83 assists for 180 points those 48 games. Sankey's 48-game point streak is the fourth longest point scoring streak in the Tar Heel record book behind Bitter, Goldstein and Wade.
TAR HEEL GOAL SCORING STREAKS: Three UNC seniors have combined for seven of the 20 longest goal-scoring streaks in UNC history. Jimmy Bitter saw his 21-game goal scoring streak come to an end against Richmond March 14 in a game in which he contributed to the victorious cause with a career high five assists, career high seven ground balls and career high two caused turnovers. Bitter's streak from February 16, 2014 through March 10, 2015 ranks as the sixth longest streak in UNC history.
Joey Sankey had a 20-game goal-scoring streak for the Tar Heels from May 19, 2013 through February 21, 2015. That equals the seventh longest streak in UNC history. Senior midfielder Chad Tutton's 19-game streak from March 3, 2013 through March 11, 2014 is the ninth-longest streak.
Those are the longest streaks for each of those three players. In addition, Sankey scored in 14 straight games from February 8, 2013 through April 26, 2013 (tied for 13th in UNC history); Jimmy Bitter scored in 12 straight games from April 1, 2012 through March 9, 2013 (tied for 16th in UNC history); Chad Tutton scored in 12 straight games from March 21, 2012 through February 23, 2013 (tied for 16th in UNC history); and Jimmy Bitter scored in 10 straight games from March 18, 2013 through May 11, 2013 (tied for 19th in UNC history).
SANKEY NAMED A SENIOR CLASS AWARD FINALIST: Ten NCAA® men's lacrosse student-athletes who excel both on and off the field were selected as finalists April 8 for the 2014-15 Senior CLASS Award® for collegiate lacrosse. Among the finalists is University of North Carolina senior attackman Joey Sankey of Warminster, Pa. To be eligible for the award, student-athletes must be classified as NCAA Division I seniors and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. The complete list of finalists follows this release. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their athletic platforms to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
The finalists were chosen by national media from the list of 30 candidates announced in March. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner, and fans are encouraged to submit votes online at the Senior CLASS Award website through May 11. Fan votes will be combined with those of the media and Division I head coaches to determine the winners. The Senior CLASS Award recipient will be announced during the 2015 NCAA Men's Lacrosse National Championships® in Philadelphia, May 23-25. For more information on each of the finalists, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.
SANKEY NAMED ACC CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK: North Carolina's Joey Sankey and Notre Dame's Conor Doyle shared Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week honors on April 6. Sankey totaled five points on four goals and an assist in North Carolina's 10-6 win at No. 6 Virginia. The senior attackman's first goal gave the Tar Heels a 3-2 lead early in the second quarter, before scoring three of North Carolina's final four goals en route to the victory. Sankey has scored at least three goals in each of the Tar Heels' ACC games this season.
TUTTON & KELLY SHARE ACC AWARDS MARCH 31: North Carolina's Chad Tutton and Syracuse's Dylan Donahue were named the Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Lacrosse Co-Offensive Players of the Week March 31, 2015, while the Tar Heels' Stephen Kelly and Notre Dame's Matt Landis shared Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Tutton, who was also named the NCAA.com National Offensive Player of the Week on April 1, matched a career-high with four goals as he helped rally North Carolina past Duke, 15-14, on March 29. The senior midfielder from Courtice, Ontario was efficient with his opportunities as he scored his four goals, including three in the fourth quarter, on seven total shots for the day. With UNC trailing 11-10 entering the fourth quarter, Tutton's goal with 12 minutes to play put the Tar Heels ahead 12-11, and after Duke tied the game at 12-12, Tutton scored back-to-back goals that gave North Carolina the lead for good. The Tar Heels' home win over the Blue Devils marked the first time they had defeated Duke at Fetzer Field since the 2003 season. Kelly had the best game of his North Carolina career in winning 22-of-33 face-offs – one shy of the school record - and helping the Tar Heels dominate the face-off X in the 15-14 win over Duke. Kelly also picked up a game-high 11 ground balls to help North Carolina control the second half en route to the win. The 11 ground balls were the second highest career total for Kelly.
JOZOKOS NAMED NCAA.COM & ACC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sophomore short stick defensive midfielder Tate Jozokos was named both the NCAA.com and the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Week following Carolina's win over Denver on February 27. Jozokos played the best game of his career in a 12-10 upset of the Pioneers. He scooped up a career-high five ground balls and limited the Pioneers' first-string midfielders to two goals on only four shots. Two ground balls that Jozokos earned off face-offs proved especially important for North Carolina. In those possessions, Jozokos assisted a second-quarter goal by Ryan Kilpatrick that cut into a three-goal deficit and he then scored his second career goal early in the third quarter to put the Tar Heels in the lead for good in the game. Jozokos was the first Tar Heel short stick defensive midfielder to ever win ACC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Previous winners from UNC included face-off men, close defensemen and goalkeepers but this was the first time a SSDM has won the award.
TAR HEEL SENIOR TRIO NAMED TO TEWAARATON LIST: The Tewaaraton Foundation announced the 2015 Tewaaraton Award men's watch list February 26. The list includes the top players across in NCAA Division I lacrosse and highlights the early contenders for the 2015 Tewaaraton Award, presented by Under Armour. Three outstanding senior members of the 2015 University of North Carolina men's lacrosse team, currently ranked #4 in the nation, were initially named to the Watch List. The group includes senior attackman Jimmy Bitter of Stowe, Vermont, senior attackman Joey Sankey of Warminster, Pa., and senior midfielder Chad Tutton of Courtice, Ontario. Sophomore Luke Goldstock of Niskayuna, N.Y. was added to the Watch List on March 20.
BITTER NAMED ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK: North Carolina's Jimmy Bitter was named the ACC Co-Offensive Player of the Week on February 24, 2015. Bitter had a five-point game to lead the No. 4 Tar Heels to a 13-11 victory over No. 9 Johns Hopkins on Saturday, Feb. 22. Bitter scored four goals, one shy of his career high, and added an assist in UNC's victory. Bitter scored his four goals on just six shots, five of which were on goal. When he scored late in the first period it was his 100th career goal, putting the Tar Heels up 4-1 in the game. He had three goals in a scoring run, which lifted UNC from a 3-1 lead to a 7-2 advantage, a lead Carolina would never surrender.
HAT TRICKS FOR THE HEELS: Carolina's three starting attackmen all recorded hat tricks in the Tar Heels' 19-4 season-opening victory against Furman. Joey Sankey had four goals and Jimmy Bitter and Luke Goldstock each had three tallies. The last time all three Tar Heel starting attackmen had hat tricks in the same game came on April 24, 2009. Billy Bitter, Gavin Petracca and Bart Wagner each totaled three goals in a 16-10 ACC Tournament semifinal victory over Maryland that day. After not having accomplished that feat for five years, the Carolina starting attack has gone on to pull off a trio of hat tricks twice more this season as Bitter, Sankey and Goldstock all recorded three plus goal games versus both UMass and Johns Hopkins.
On four other occasions, UNC attackmen and midfielders have combined for three hat tricks in a game. In UNC's win over High Point, Carolina got a trio of hat tricks with Jimmy Bitter scoring four goals and Peyton Klawinski and Chad Tutton each scoring three times as the first midfield got into the act. Against Manhattan on March 7, the Tar Heels again had a trio of players with hat tricks. Attackman Luke Goldstock led the way with five goals while midfielders Michael Tagliaferri and Chad Tutton scored three times each. Against Richmond, attackman Luke Goldstock had six goals while attackman Joey Sankey had three and midfielder Peyton Klawinski added three. In the win over Duke, Chad Tutton matched his career high with four goals while Jimmy Bitter and Joey Sankey each scored three times.
Here are the total number of career hat tricks for active Tar Heel players: Jimmy Bitter 20, Joey Sankey 20, Chad Tutton 16, Luke Goldstock 7, Peyton Klawinski 3, Michael Tagliaferri 2, Shane Simpson 1, Patrick Kelly 1, Steve Pontrello 1
HEAD COACH JOE BRESCHI: Joe Breschi is now in his seventh season as the head coach at his alma mater. Breschi has led the Tar Heels to double-digit win totals in each of his seven seasons as head coach and NCAA Tournament bids in each of his first six seasons in Chapel Hill.
Breschi Coaching Facts:
• 80-31 in seven seasons at UNC (72.1)
• 172-94 in 18 seasons overall (64.7)
• 10-12 in ACC regular-season games
• 4-4 in ACC Tournament games
• 3-6 in NCAA Tournament games at UNC; 4-9 in NCAA Tournament games overall
• 17-13 in one-goal games at UNC
• 41-28 versus ranked teams at UNC; 39-3 versus unranked teams at UNC
• 64-11 versus non-conference teams at UNC
• 51-8 in home games at UNC
ANOTHER DOUBLE DIGIT WIN SEASON UNDER COACH BRESCHI: Despite playing against one of the nation's toughest schedules in 2015, the Tar Heels have reached a double digit win total for the seventh successive year under the tutelage of head coach Joe Breschi, who was hired in June 2008. Breschi is the first head coach in UNC history to post double digit win totals in each of his first seven years mentoring the Tar Heels. Other than Breschi, Dave Klarmann (1991-94) is the only other coach to win 10 or more games in each of his first four seasons. Under Breschi's leadership, UNC went 12-6 in 2009, 13-3 in 2010, 10-6 in 2011, 11-6 in 2012, 13-4 in 2013, 10-5 in 2014 and 11-1 so far in 2015. The 2009-15 streak marks the first time UNC has won 10 or more games in a season in seven straight years. UNC had won 10 or more in six straight seasons from 1989-94.
UNC VERSUS RANKED OPPONENTS UNDER COACH BRESCHI: North Carolina has played nationally-ranked opponents 69 times in Joe Breschi's seven-year coaching tenure. UNC is 41-28 in those games, a winning percentage of 59.4 percent. Conversely, the Tar Heels are 39-3 against unranked opponents in his seven seasons (92.9 percent). Breschi is 80-31 overall at Carolina in his seven seasons as head coach. During Breschi's tenure, UNC's only losses to unranked teams came at Ohio State in 2011, at home to Lehigh in 2012 and at Pennsylvania in 2012.
CAROLINA'S IMPROVEMENT IN ONE-GOAL DECISIONS: Prior to Joe Breschi taking over as head coach in 2009, UNC went 1-7 in games decided by one goal from midway through the 2004 season through the end of the 2008 campaign. Carolina has improved tremendously in one-goal games since Breschi arrived for the 2009 season. UNC is 17-13 in games decided by one goal over the past seven years.
THREE TAR HEELS CHOSEN IN 2015 MLL DRAFT: Three members of the 2015 UNC lacrosse team were chosen January 24 in the 2015 Major League Lacrosse Draft. The trio will start their respective MLL careers this summer at the conclusion of their senior years in college. UNC senior attackman Joey Sankey of Warminster, Pa. was the first Tar Heel chosen as he went in the second round to the Charlotte Hounds. Sankey was the ninth player picked overall. Tar Heel senior midfielder Chad Tutton of Courtice, Ontario was chosen in the second round by the Florida Launch. Tutton was the 13th pick overall. Senior attackman Jimmy Bitter was selected in the third round with the 22nd pick by the Ohio Machine. The Stowe, Vt. native will reunite with former Tar Heel Marcus Holman, UNC Class of 2013, when he joins the Machine. Holman has played for the Machine the past two years. Holman and Bitter started on the UNC attack together with Joey Sankey in the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
CAROLINA'S STELLAR MARK IN NON-CONFERENCE GAMES: UNC's record in non-conference games continues to be one of the best in the nation over the past nine seasons. The Tar Heels have won 86 of their past 101 games against non-conference teams dating back to April 15, 2006. In Joe Breschi's seven seasons as head coach, the Tar Heels are 65-11 against non-conference teams. The only losses were to Notre Dame in 2009, to Ohio State and Johns Hopkins in 2011, to Lehigh, Pennsylvania and Denver in 2012, to Massachusetts, Notre Dame and Denver in 2013, to Denver in 2014 and to Maryland in 2015.
CAROLINA'S DOUBLE DIGIT SCORING GAMES: In Coach Joe Breschi's seven years as head lacrosse coach at UNC, Carolina's success has clearly been tied to hitting the 10-goal plateau in a game. In fact UNC's 13-11 loss to Virginia on April 26, 2014, marked only the 12th time in Breschi's coaching tenure that the Tar Heels have lost when they have reached the 10-goal plateau. UNC has scored at least 10 goals in a game in 85 of 111 games under Coach Breschi's direction dating back to the opening game of the 2009 season. Carolina is 73-12 in those 85 games. As would be expected, in the 26 games under Coach Breschi's tutelage in which the Tar Heels have not reached the 10-goal mark, UNC has not fared nearly as well as when it scores in double figures. In fact, the Tar Heels' record in those 26 games is just 7-19.
NEAR DOMINANCE AT HOME UNDER BRESCHI: UNC is 51-8 in home games in Coach Joe Breschi's seven years at the helm of the Tar Heels. That's a winning percentage of 86.4 percent. UNC's only home losses during Breschi's four-year tenure include regular-season and ACC Tournament games to Duke in 2009, a regular-season loss to Duke in 2011, an NCAA Tournament loss to Maryland in 2011, regular-season losses to Lehigh and Virginia and an NCAA Tournament loss to Denver in 2012, a regular-season loss to Duke in 2013 and a regular-season loss to Notre Dame in 2014.
TAR HEELS FINISH FEBRUARY UNBEATEN: North Carolina played five games in the month of February, going 5-0 and finishing the month off with a 12-10 over top-ranked Denver at Navy Field on February 27. The five games in the month were the most games UNC has played in the opening month of the season since the 2009 squad started off with five February contests. UNC also went 5-0 in the month of February in 2009.
CAROLINA VERSUS NUMBER ONE: The 2015 season marks the fourth straight year UNC has defeated a team ranked #1 in the nation. Those wins came against Johns Hopkins 13-9 on April 1, 2012, against Maryland 10-8 on March 23, 2013, against Maryland 11-8 on March 22, 2014 and against Denver 12-10 on February 27, 2015. Prior to the win against Johns Hopkins in 2012, Carolina had not beaten a #1-ranked team since April 6, 1996 when UNC beat Virginia 19-18 at Fetzer Field. UNC has won each of its last three games against #1-ranked teams. Carolina's last defeat against a No. 1 team came on April 7, 2012 when UNC lost to Virginia 15-10 at Fetzer Field.
CAROLINA IN HOME GAMES: North Carolina has an all-time record of 276-120-2 in home games. That included a 6-1 home record in 2014 and a 9-0 record so far in 2015. UNC has a 69.6 winning percentage all-time in history in home games.
THE ALL-TIME RECORD: North Carolina has an all-time record of 466-279-2 in the sport of men's lacrosse. That is a winning percentage of .625.
SIX TAR HEELS NAMED PRESEASON ALL-ACC: Six Tar Heels were chosen for the preseason All-ACC Team for 2015. The team was selected in a vote by the ACC's five head coaches. Tar Heels on the preseason team included senior attackman Joey Sankey, senior midfielder Chad Tutton, senior long-stick midfielder Ryan Kilpatrick, sophomore face-off man Stephen Kelly, sophomore defenseman Austin Pifani and junior goalkeeper Kieran Burke.
INSIDE LACROSSE PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAS: Six members of the 2015 University of North Carolina men's lacrosse team were named to the preseason All-America Teams chosen by Inside Lacrosse magazine. A trio of Tar Heels were named to the second-team preseason All-America Team – senior attackman Joey Sankey, senior midfielder Chad Tutton and sophomore defenseman Austin Pifani. Another three Carolina players were named to the honorable mention preseason All-America unit - senior attackman Jimmy Bitter, senior long-stick midfielder Ryan Kilpatrick and junior goalkeeper Kieran Burke.
UNC CLAIMS ANOTHER SEASON OPENING WIN: The Tar Heels beat Furman 19-4 in their 2015 season opener on February 7. UNC has won every season opener since the 1999 season, running its streak to 17 seasons in a row with the win over the Paladins. Carolina's last loss in a season opener came on February 22, 1998 when the Tar Heels fell to Butler 13-12 at Fetzer Field.
CAROLINA THIS YEAR ON ESPN FAMILY OF NETWORKS: A total of eight University of North Carolina men's lacrosse games are being televised on the ESPN family of networks in 2015. The Tar Heels could also have additional exposure during the 2015 ACC Lacrosse Tournament. Five of UNC's games will be televised on ESPNU - Denver on February 27, Duke on March 29, Virginia on April 3, Syracuse on April 11 and Notre Dame on April 18. Three additional UNC games will be shown on ESPN3 - all games to be played at Fetzer Field. Carolina's non-conference games against High Point, Bryant and Harvard will all be aired on ESPN3. Those three games are midweek contests scheduled on Tuesdays. All three games of the 2015 ACC Men's Lacrosse Championship at PPL Park will air on ESPNU if the Tar Heels advance to the ACC Tournament.
UNC Men's Lacrosse Television Schedule
Tuesday, Feb. 10, High Point at North Carolina, 4 p.m. (ESPN3)
Friday, Feb. 27, Denver at North Carolina, 4 p.m. (ESPNU)
Tuesday, March 10, Bryant at North Carolina, 4 p.m. (ESPN3)
Tuesday, March 17, Harvard at North Carolina, 7 p.m. (ESPN3)
Sunday, March 29, Duke at North Carolina, 1 p.m. (ESPNU)
Friday, April 3, North Carolina at Virginia, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
Saturday, April 11, Syracuse at North Carolina, 4 p.m. (ESPNU)
Saturday, April 18, North Carolina at Notre Dame, 4 p.m. (ESPNU)
Friday, April 24, ACC Championship Semifinal 1, 5:30 p.m. (ESPNU); ACC Championship Semifinal 2, 8 p.m. (ESPNU)
Saturday, April 25, ACC-Penn Classic, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN3)
Sunday, April 26, ACC Championship, 1 p.m. (ESPNU)
LOCAL YOUTH PLAYERS INVITED TO BE BALL BOYS AT FETZER FIELD: if you are interested in being a ball boy or having your local club team play at halftime, please contact Alexis Barlow at alexisb@unc.edu (youth 8th grade and below). Come enjoy a fun afternoon/evening at Fetzer Field and be a part of the action.
