University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Duke
Tar Heels Down Duke, 16-8
April 23, 2016 | Women's Lacrosse
CHAPEL HILL—Third-ranked North Carolina went on a 7-0 run in the first half to take control early and never looked back, beating 13th-ranked Duke, 16-8, on Saturday afternoon at Fetzer Field. Ela Hazar and Aly Messinger led the way for UNC with three goals apiece.
The Tar Heels have won 10 games in a row. With the victory, Carolina completes its 2016 regular season at 13-2 overall and 7-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Duke falls to 9-7, 4-3.
The game marked the final regular season games for Tar Heel seniors Alyssa Andress, Kelly Devlin, Mallory Frysinger, Stephanie Lobb (a fourth-year junior set to graduate next month), Devin Markison, Messinger and Megan Ward.
Carolina is the ACC regular season champion for the second year in a row and the seventh time overall. The Tar Heels have completed an undefeated ACC regular season for the third time and the first time since 2012. The Tar Heels went 3-0 in conference play in 1998 and 5-0 in 2012.
“The balance on our team is really starting to show up, head coach Jenny Levy said afterward. “We've got multiple kids who can do different things, and I think we're hard to shut down. Whether it's settled offense or coming in from transition, we've got a lot of different pieces that are really clicking together for us.”'
Hazar had three goals and an assist for Carolina in the win, and Carly Reed had two goals and two assists in a starting role. Messinger scored three goals, and Molly Hendrick and Marie McCool had two goals and an assist each. Sammy Jo Tracy had a goal and an assist, Devlin scored twice and Gianna Bowe scored once.
For the Blue Devils, Kyra Harney scored three goals and Kelci Smesko had two goals and an assist. Maddy Acton, Maddie Crutchfield and Ella Bonafede all scored once.
Carolina went on a 4-0 run in the first half to take a 5-2 lead and force a Duke timeout. Hazar scored two of UNC's goals early. The Tar Heel defense held Duke scoreless for a period of over 16 minutes in the first half as it built its 7-0 run and took an 8-2 lead. Duke scored the final two goals of the first half to make it 10-5 at the break.
The Tar Heels scored four of the first five goals after halftime to take a 14-6 lead with 11:48 to go and cruised the rest of the way through a late-game rainstorm that struck Fetzer Field.
“I thought the run we had in the first half was really, really important, and we carried that into an ugly second half,” Levy said. “Our defense played a ton of man-down defense and were really effective, so that was great. I don't think this was our best game, but Duke gave us a great challenge and we appreciate that.”
Ward made her first start in goal since midway through the 2014 season and went the distance on Senior Day, making eight saves for her third consecutive victory. Kelsey Duryea started in goal and took the loss for Duke, making eight saves and allowing 15 goals.
Carolina will return to action on Thursday April 28 for an ACC Tournament quarterfinal game against Virginia Tech at noon in Blacksburg, Va. The Tar Heels are the top seed in the event for the second year in a row.
