Tar Heels Blow Past JMU In 2020 Opener

Saturday, February 8

Harrisonburg, Va.

1 p.m.

North Carolina

1-0

James Madison

0-1

North Carolina

James Madison

Photo by: Cathy Kushner, JMU Athletics Communications

February 8, 2020 | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score Box Score

By: Pat James

HARRISONBURG, Va. – The second-ranked North Carolina women's lacrosse team kicked off the 2020 season in emphatic fashion Saturday, beating No. 17 James Madison 15-7 at Sentara Park.

Senior Katie Hoeg led the way for UNC with eight points (two goals and six assists). She was followed closely by fellow Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-American Jamie Ortega, who opened her junior campaign with seven points (three goals and four assists).

Three other Tar Heels logged multi-point performances, including junior Scottie Rose Growney and sophomore Tayler Warehime, who each scored three goals to join Ortega with hat tricks. Freshman Melissa Sconone also added three points (two goals and an assist) in her Carolina debut.

UNC (1-0) has now won 17 of 20 season openers since dropping back-to-back openers to James Madison in 1999 and 2000. The Tar Heels improve to 8-4 all-time against the Dukes, who fall to 0-1.

Key moments

Carolina wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, with Jamie Ortega finding junior Ally Mastroianni for the first goal of the game just 42 seconds into play. Mastroianni's goal ultimately gave UNC a lead that it wouldn't relinquish.
After the Tar Heels pulled ahead 2-0, James Madison scored two of the next three goals, cutting Carolina's lead to 3-2 with 17:41 left in the first half. That didn't last long, however, as Ortega scored less than two minutes later, sparking a 6-0 run that pushed UNC's lead to 9-2. The run spanned both halves and lasted 21 minutes, 42 seconds of game time.
The Dukes made things interesting midway through the half, outscoring the Tar Heels 4-1 over an 11-minute stretch. But with 11:33 left, Tayler Warehime scored her second goal, igniting a 5-0 run that put the game out of reach.

Notables

Katie Hoeg's eight points matched the second most of her career and were one shy of her career high, set against James Madison last season.
Hoeg's six assists matched her career high, set on two previous occasions. She also dished out six assists in the 2019 season opener against James Madison and in the 2019 ACC Tournament quarterfinals against Virginia Tech.
In her last two games against the Dukes, Hoeg has tallied five goals and 12 assists, good for 17 points.
Already Carolina's career leader in assists, Hoeg extended her record to 138.
Hoeg moved past Erin McGinnis (1996-99) for ninth on UNC's career points list with 217.
With three goals, Jamie Ortega recorded her 30th hat trick. She also surpassed Kristen Taylor (2007-10) and Kara Cannizzaro (2010-13) for sixth on the Tar Heels' career goals list with 154.
Ortega's four assists matched her career high, set in the 2019 ACC Tournament quarterfinals against Virginia Tech.
With seven points, Ortega moved past Taylor for 11th on UNC's career points list with 205.
Scottie Rose Growney registered her fifth career hat trick, including her fourth in a row, dating back to last season. She's scored 13 goals in that span.
Tayler Warehime's two assists were a career high and half as many as she had all last season (four).
Warehime's hat trick was the sixth of her career.
In two career games against James Madison, Warehime has totaled seven goals.
Emma Trenchard's four draw controls matched her career high, set against Maryland in 2018.
With 12 saves, Taylor Moreno finished with double-digit saves for the 17th time in her career and for the fourth straight game, dating back to last season.
Senior Maddie Hoffer, one of UNC's three captains, made her first career start.
Six freshmen made their Carolina debuts: Julia Dorsey, Kimber Hower, Nicole Humphrey, Livi Lawton, Emily Nalls, Melissa Sconone. Nalls was the lone freshman starter.
Sconone scored her first two career goals and also logged an assist.
Humphrey scored her first career goal less than seven minutes into the game.
Dorsey tallied a team-best two caused turnovers.

Up next

The Tar Heels will travel to High Point next Friday to play the Panthers in the second of back-to-back away games. The 6 p.m. tilt will be the first in a three-day span for Carolina, which will host its home opener against Davidson on Feb. 16 at Dorrance Field.