Tar Heels Drop Close Contest At #11 Notre Dame

Saturday, April 20

Notre Dame, Ind.

12 p.m.

North Carolina

Notre Dame

Timmy Kelly
University of North Carolina Men's Lacrosse v Duke University
Kenan Stadium
Chapel Hill, NC
Saturday, March 30, 2019

Timmy Kelly had the seventh hat trick of his career Saturday at Notre Dame.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

April 20, 2019 | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score UNC vs. Notre Dame Box Score UNC vs. Notre Dame Play by Play Watch Highlights

UNC hosts Syracuse Thursday in ACC Tournament

By: Dave Lohse

NOTRE DAME, IND. – The 11^th-ranked Notre Dame men's lacrosse team went on a five-goal scoring run late in the second quarter and early in the third quarter to take the lead for good, going on to beat North Carolina 12-10 Saturday afternoon before 1,612 fans at Arlotta Stadium.

With the win, the Fighting Irish improved to 7-5 on the season and 2-2 in the ACC. North Carolina fell to 7-6 overall and 1-3 in the ACC.

Both teams will play in the ACC Tournament next week at the new UNC Lacrosse & Soccer Stadium in Chapel Hill. Fifth-seeded UNC will play fourth-seeded Syracuse in the first-round game on Thursday at 6 p.m. in a game to be nationally televised on ACC Network Extra. Third-seeded Notre Dame will face second-seeded Duke on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in the second semifinal game on ESPNU. The winner of Thursday's game will play top-seeded Virginia Saturday at 2 p.m. in the first semifinal game, also televised on ESPNU.

Freshman Caton Johnson was terrific again in goal for the Tar Heels. Making his fourth straight start, the first-year player from Lancaster, Pa., made 13 saves. Notre Dame employed two goalkeepers who combined to make five saves.

Carolina got almost all of its offense from its top two midfield units. Timmy Kelly had his seventh career hat trick and added an assist for four points. That's the ninth time in his time at UNC he has had a career high four points. Justin Anderson, who plays with Kelly on the first midfield, added two goals. Out of the second midfield unit junior William Perry had two goals and an assist and junior Tanner Cook had a pair of goals.

Senior Brendan Gleason led Notre Dame with five goals. Junior Brian Willetts had two goals and four assists for the Fighting Irish. Bryan Costabile had two goals for Notre Dame. Wheaton Jackoboic and Quinn McCahon each had one goal and one assist and Griffin Westlin had two assists.

Statistically the game was heavily favored in the direction of the Fighting Irish but the Tar Heels were in the game until the final minutes. Notre Dame outshot the Tar Heels 50-26, won the ground ball battle 25-21 and was better at the face-off X by a 17-8 total. UNC had 13 turnovers and Notre Dame 11. Johnson's 13 saves were certainly a key factor in keeping the Tar Heels in the game until the very end.

Gleason's two goals gave Notre Dame an early 2-1 lead but back-to-back goals by Timmy Kelly and a goal by Tanner Cook lifted the Tar Heels a 4-2 lead less than five minutes into the second quarter. But UNC went scoreless for over a quarter and Notre Dame scored five goals in a row to go up 7-4 with 9:54 left in the third period. Notre Dame led by as many as three goals on three occasions in the second half but the Tar Heels never quit and pulled back within a single goal three times in the fourth quarter at 13:00, 4:59 and 2:26. But Gleason scored his fifth goal of the game to provide the insurance for Notre Dame at 12-10 with 1:09 to play. Notre Dame won the ensuing face-off and ran out the clock.

GAME NOTES

Andy Matthews' had one assist giving him 103 points for his career (32 goals, 71 assists). Matthews is tied for 40^th in career points at Carolina with 103 points with Timmy Kelly who also has 103 points.
William Perry had three points in the game. He now has 75 career points and is 63^rd in UNC history in the category.
Timmy Kelly has points in 18 recorded straight games dating back to March 24, 2018.
Timmy Kelly had a career-high four points in the game. This was the ninth time in his career he has etched a career high four points into the scoresheet.
Nicky Solomon has now scored a goal in each of his 13 games as a freshman.
Timmy Kelly increased his career point total to 103 and his career goal total to 69. He is tied with senior teammate Andy Matthews for 40^th in career points at Carolina. Kelly earned his 100^th career point on a goal with 5:37 left in the first quarter.
Timmy Kelly now has 69 career goals. He is 36^th in career goals at UNC.
William Perry has 58 career goals. That's 48^th in Tar Heel history.