University of North Carolina Athletics
Turner's Take: All In
May 14, 2015 | Men's Lacrosse, Featured Writers, Turner Walston
By Turner Walston
It's been 22 years since Carolina's men's lacrosse team has appeared in a Final Four. In the meantime, there have been All-Americans, ACC championships and top rankings, but it's been more than two decades since the Tar Heels have played in a national semifinal. They'll set out to change that on Sunday against Maryland.
Two months ago, the Terrapins knocked the Tar Heels from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 10-8 win in Santa Ana, California. Maryland led 7-2 late in the third quarter and held off a Tar Heel rally. Carolina head coach Joe Breschi said the Big Ten Terrapins are still the same team that competed consistently among the best of the ACC. They're a team that wants to dictate the tempo of the game and get quality shot opportunities, competing for every ground ball. Maryland scored the final four goals of Saturday's 8-7 win over Yale to advance.
“We're trying to impose our will, but we also have to adapt to the style of the game that's being presented to us,” Breschi said of his team's game plan. “If that's long possessions at the defensive end, we've got to make sure we're taking care of the ball at our end, take advantage of those early offensive opportunities, look for the best shot, high angle, still play up-tempo, still play aggressive. “That's who we are, and we'll try to impose our will on them much like they imposed it on us two months ago.”
The 2015 Tar Heels are led by a spirited senior class, a group that has known championship and heartbreak. Two years ago, they learned from a senior class that included Kieran McDonald, Davey Emala and Marcus Holman. That team lost a 12-11 heartbreaker to Denver in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in a game they led 6-0 in the first quarter. “We felt like in 2013 we were one of the best teams in the country,” senior attacker Joey Snakey said. “We felt like we could have gone all the way, but we got up by a few goals and we kind of let down a little bit. So, that was a good lesson to anyone that was on the team then, to remember that that you have to finish the game, you have to play a full 60 minutes.”
Playing 60 minutes has been emphasized in practice and meetings this week. “They're a very slow-paced team and they definitely attack the crease a lot,” sophomore defenseman Austin Pifani said. “One of our points of emphasis this week is covering up the crease and playing harder throughout the whole game.”
Additionally, the Tar Heel defense is committed to correcting mistakes and moving forward after miscues. “When someone makes a hustle mistake, it's something that we can't just sit in and argue about, because it kind of makes everyone a little bit rattled,” Pifani said. “When there's a schematic mistake, we need to figure it out. So, we try to figure it out really fast, get off the field and try to not make it happen again.” Pifani said exhibiting good body language between the whistles is key to maintaining confidence in yourself and your teammates. “It's something to focus on, to keep the whole team involved and up for the next play, because that's what matters most.”
For the Tar Heels, the next game is what matters most. It's tempting to reflect on the legacy of the 2015 senior class, which includes such names as Sankey, Jimmy Bitter, Chad Tutton, Jake Bailey, Ryan Kilpatrick, Drew Hays and Walker Chafee –a foundational class for Breschi's program– but they have work yet to be done. “They've meant so much,” Breschi said, “to what this program is all about, on and off the field.” Sankey and Bitter are four-year starters at attack; their names will dot the Tar Heel lacrosse record books for years to come. “I remember the first game they started midway through their freshman year,” Breschi said. “We said we're just going to play the toughest guys who grind it out no matter the height or size or whatever, but they are tough as nails, and the neatest part about it is, they play as they practice.” Sankey and Bitter have modeled practice habits for the players that follow them and done a terrific job of playing to strengths, both their own and that of their teammates. Twenty percent of Sankey's assists have gone to Bitter; 16 percent of Bitter's have gone to Sankey. Each has scored 55 unassisted goals in his career.* Officially unassisted, perhaps, but with the understanding that the defense must respect their playmaking abilities. And sophomore Luke Goldstock set the school record with 49 goals in the 2015 season, certainly with a hand from his mates on attack.
On Saturday, Carolina will wade into a NCAA quarterfinal in enemy territory. Breschi is confident that the UNC fan base in the area will turn up in Annapolis, and hopeful that Johns Hopkins and Syracuse fans in attendance will lend their support as well. With a win, Carolina will continue this ride with a special group of players that's not quite done writing its legacy on the program.
“You just don't want it to end. That's what you look at as you have a chance to step back and reflect as you're moving forward,” Breschi said.
So while the Tar Heels are focused on what's in front of them, they do understand what's gotten them this far. “We have the potential to have 12, 13 days left in the season, so they're all in,” Breschi said. “All their chips are in, and we're excited for what's in front of us, and the alumni and friends of the program are as well.”
* Thanks to intrepid athletic communications assistant Lena Welch for these statistics.
