University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Richmond
Tar Heels Run By Spiders 15-6
March 20, 2016 | Men's Lacrosse
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Chris Cloutier had a career high seven points, Brian Balkam matched his career high with 12 saves and Stephen Kelly continued his exceptional play in the face-off circle as the 17th-ranked University of North Carolina men's lacrosse team defeated 19th-ranked Richmond 15-6 Saturday night under the lights at Fetzer Field.
UNC won its second game in a row to improve to 5-3 on the season while Richmond saw its three-game winning streak end and it is now 6-2 on the campaign. It was Richmond's second trip to the Triangle region this season after it had beaten Duke 12-10 in Durham on March 7.
After yielding the game's first goal, the Tar Heels ran off five scores in a row and were never headed. The closest the Spiders were able to draw to UNC in the second half was four goals after Carolina took a 7-2 lead into intermission.
Cloutier was brilliant on the offensive end for UNC as he scored four goals and had a career high three assists leading to a personal best seven points in the game. Steve Pontrello and Patrick Kelly each had a hat trick for Carolina. Pontrello has recorded a hat trick in three straight games and now has six hat tricks in eight games this season. Patrick Kelly also had his second hat trick of the season. He also had one versus Denver. Both Michael Tagliaferri and Luke Goldstock had a goal and two assists for the Tar Heels.
UNC outshot the Spiders 42-31 in the match. Mitch Goldberg scored two goals to lead the Spiders' offense.
After giving up a goal on Richmond's first possession, Brian Balkam turned in the best performance of his career. The redshirt sophomore goalkeeper played 56 minutes, 46 seconds. He made 12 saves and allowed just six goals while also scooping up three ground balls. His 12 saves matched his career high set previously against Denver on March 5.
Carolina had challenges hanging onto the ball, making 17 turnovers and going just 12 of 17 clearing, but Stephen Kelly's performance at the X more than made up for it as he dominated the circle for the third straight game. He won 17 of 23 draws on Saturday night and scooped up a game-high seven ground balls. Over the past three games against Massachusetts, Manhattan and Richmond, Kelly has won 50 of 64 face-offs while also recording 25 ground balls. For the season he has won 64.1 percent of his face-offs, going 107 of 167. He has won 395 career face-offs, the fifth most in school history.
After Richmond's Eric Haehl opened the scoring just 1:09 into the game, Carolina got the equalizer on freshman defenseman Jack Rowlett's first career goal at 10:25. Cloutier earned his first of three assists on the night as he fed Rowlett for the fast break goal. Carolina went on to score three goals in a span of less than four minutes later in the first quarter. Patrick Kelly gave the Tar Heels the lead for good at 6:01 before Cloutier scored off a Luke Goldstock assist at 4:03 and Timmy Kelly notched an unassisted goal at 2:31. Carolina only outshot the Spiders 10-8 in the first quarter but Balkam's six saves in the opening 15 minutes were the key in allowing the Tar Heels to open up a lead.
Shane Simpson opened the scoring in the second quarter as he scored on a left-handed shot from 12 yards out to make it 5-1 at 12:24. After Goldberg answered for Richmond, the Tar Heels made it 6-2 at 3:51 of the period on a goal by Luke Goldstock off a nifty feed from behind the cage by Michael Tagliaferri. Goldstock has now scored a goal in 25 successive games dating back to the first game of his sophomore year. That equals the third-longest goal-scoring streak in Tar Heel history. Marcus Holman owns the school record with a 29-game streak while Mac Ford had a 27-game streak and Harper Peterson also scored goals in 25 successive games.
Carolina then picked up a goal to extend the lead to 7-2 with six seconds left in the first half. Patrick Kelly's shot was blocked from behind by a defender but the ball fell to Pontrello who finished past Richmond goalie Benny Pugh just before the half ended.
Both teams came out firing in the opening minutes of the third quarter. Cloutier scored twice and Tagliaferri once as the two teams cancelled each other out with three goals apiece in the period. UNC maintained its five-goal spread heading into the final quarter.
Patrick Kelly scored off an assist by Goldstock at 12:40 and Cloutier netted another tally assisted by Tagliaferri at 10:34 to push the Tar Heel lead to 12-5. After Richmond defenseman Brendan Hynes scored a fast break goal at 8:01, UNC finished off the scoring with the last three goals of the game. Pontrello scored back-to-back goals, both assisted by Cloutier, at 7:23 and 3:37. Patrick Kelly then completed his hat trick with an unassisted goal at 3:14 to give the Tar Heels a nine-goal cushion.
Carolina will be back in action on Saturday, March 26 against seventh-ranked Maryland (4-2). That game, to be played at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium in College Park, Md., will be nationally televised on ESPNU.
