University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Duke
Instant Overtime Classic: Tar Heels Down Duke 17-16
April 2, 2016 | Men's Lacrosse
DURHAM, N.C. – In a game filled with ebbs and flows, 15th-ranked North Carolina prevailed over ninth-ranked Duke 17-16 in overtime in men's lacrosse action before 3,957 fans at Koskinen Stadium on Friday night. Patrick Kelly scored the game-winning goal with two minutes remaining in the first overtime period to give the Tar Heels their first extra-time win since March 30, 2013 when they beat Johns Hopkins at Kenan Stadium.
This was the fourth consecutive game in the series to be decided by one goal and the third time the Tar Heels have triumphed against the Blue Devils dating back to the 2013 ACC Tournament semifinals in Chapel Hill. Steve Pontrello had a career-high six goals to lead the Tar Heels and Luke Goldstock matched his career high for assists in a game with four. Nine different Tar Heels scored in the game with Patrick Kelly, Michael Tagliaferri and Brian Cannon each scoring twice for the Tar Heels. Myles Jones led Duke with five goals and six assists while Justin Guterding had four goals for Duke and Jack Bruckner had three goals.
With the win the Tar Heels improve to 6-4 overall on the season and 1-0 in the ACC. Duke falls to 7-5 overall and 1-1 in ACC play.
UNC outshot the Blue Devils 47-40 in the game. The Blue Devils finished with a 33-27 edge in ground balls. Stephen Kelly won 20 of 35 face-offs in the game, the third time he has won 20 or more face-offs in a game in his career. It was his second straight stellar performance against Duke as he won 22 face-offs in Carolina's 16-15 regular-season win over the Blue Devils at Fetzer Field last year. Kelly had a season-high 12 ground balls in the game and it marked the third time in his career he has won 12 or more ground balls in a game.
Freshman Colin Reder came off the bench to be a hero in the goal for the Tar Heels. Reder came on in relief of Brian Balkam after 23:24 of play and made 10 saves while allowing 10 goals the rest of the way. Reder made a huge save on a shot by Myles Jones with 2:46 left in overtime to give the Tar Heels the possession that led to Patrick Kelly's game-winning goal. Freshman defensive Jack Rowlett picked up the ground ball of the save and the Tar Heels successfully cleared the ball and then called timeout. Kelly scored 16 seconds later after scooping beating his defender down the left alley to score past Duke goalkeeper Danny Fowler. In the net, Fowler played all 60 minutes for Duke and made 12 saves while allowing 17 goals.
The Tar Heels jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first quarter on goals by Pontrello, Cannon and Goldstock. Duke answered with two goals before the Tar Heels scored two of the next three goals to take a 5-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Carolina took its biggest lead of the game 22 seconds into the second period when Brian Cannon scored the only man-up goal of the game, his second tally of the contest, off an assist by Chris Cloutier. The Blue Devils responded with goals by Deemer Class, Chad Cohan and Myles Jones to tie the game at 8-8 with 9:06 left in the first half.
Goals by Pontrello and Stephen Kelly just nine seconds apart allowed the Tar Heels to retake the lead at 8-6 with 7:53 left in the half.
Neither team would score again in the first half but Duke dominated the opening 10 minutes of the second half, scoring five goals in a row to take an 11-8 lead with 5:33 left in the period. In that five-goal run by Duke, Jones had two goals and two assists.
Just as quickly, the Tar Heels took back the momentum. After going 18:55 without scoring, UNC scored five of the last six goals of the third period to retake the lead 13-12 heading into the final period.
Michael Tagliaferri scored back-to-back goals for UNC at 3:58 and 3:26 to pull the Tar Heels within a goal. Pontrello then tied the game on an unassisted goal with 2:24 left in the quarter. Justin Guterding's transition goal off an assist by Jack Bruckner put the Blue Devils back up 12-11 with 39 seconds left in the period.
But Carolina responded with a goal by Peyton Klawinski, assisted by Timmy Kelly, and a goal by Shane Simpson with 13 and seven seconds left in the period, to put the Heels back up 13-12.
Short stick defensive midfielder Brett Bedard scored his first goal of the season on a fast break off a clearing opportunity with 10:51 left in the game to give the Heels a two-goal lead at 14-12. Guterding answered for Duke 47 seconds later. Neither team scored again until 5:33 to play when again Pontrello scored an unassisted goal. At the 4:02 mark, Bruckner scored for Duke off an assist by Jones. Again, Pontrello was the answer for UNC as he tallied 32 seconds later to put UNC up 16-14 with 3:30 left.
Carolina won the ensuing face-off but after a shot by Kelly was saved by Fowler with 2:37 to play the two teams traded turnovers and after a Duke timeout Jones scored with 1:14 to play to cut UNC's deficit to a single goal.
Duke won the ensuing face-off but Luke Goldstock caused a turnover by Ethan Powley and the Tar Heels called timeout with 42 seconds to play. Duke forced a turnover by Carolina and pushed transition and Bruckner tied the game off an assist by John Prendergast with eight seconds left.
The game went to overtime, the third straight overtime contest for the Blue Devils. UNC was seeking its first overtime win against Duke since 2004 when the Tar Heels won 10-9 at Koskinen Stadium.
Duke won the opening face-off of the extra session as Kyle Rowe earned the draw and Jamie Ikeda the ground ball. Duke cleared and got a great look by Jones only to see Reder come up big. After the successful clear, UNC called timeout. Kelly picked up a loose ball off a pass and beat two different Duke defenders to score from eight yards out and give the Tar Heels the victory.
UNC will be back in action again on Sunday, April 10 when it hosts Virginia at 2 p.m. at Kenan Stadium.
