Gray, Cook Dominate In Tar Heels' Win Over Paladins, 18-11

Friday, March 6

Greenville, SC

6 p.m. ET

North Carolina

6-0

Furman

1-5

North Carolina

Furman

Tanner Cook

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

March 6, 2020 | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score Box Score Play By Play

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The No. 3 North Carolina men's lacrosse team remain undefeated in the 2020 season after downing the Furman Paladins, 18-11 in Paladin Stadium Friday night for the Tar Heels' sixth-consecutive victory.

Carolina got off to an unusually slow start, scoring just four goals in the first half for its lowest-scoring half of the season. However, senior midfielder Tanner Cook came out firing with a hat trick in the first two minutes of the third period and jump-started a 14-goal second half for the Heels. With a nine-goal fourth quarter, the Tar Heels scored just as many goals in the final 15 minutes as they had through the first 45 for a season-best, quarter performance.

Junior attackman Chris Gray and Cook dominated the competition with 16 of the team's 31 points while eight other Tar Heels contributed to the Tar Heels' final score. Gray matched his season-high of nine points with five goals and four assists while Cook scored all five Tar Heel goals in the third quarter before finishing the game with career-best performances in goals (6) and points (7). Cook's six second-half goals are tied for the second most ever by a Tar Heel in a half. Chris Cloutier scored six goals in the first half of the 2016 NCAA semifinal game against Loyola and Drew Habeck scored seven in the first half against Fairfield in 2006.

Between three face-off midfielders, Carolina went 25 of 32 for its most face-off wins and best face-off winning percentage (.781) of the season. Zac Tucci won the second-most face-offs of his career, winning 20 of 25 attempts for a career-best, single-game winning percentage (.800). Tucci's performance against Furman marks the 12th time a Tar Heel has won 20 or more face-offs in a single game. Last season, Tucci won 21 draws against Furman for the third-most face-off wins. Only three Tar Heels – Shane Walterhoefer (twice), Stephen Kelly (twice) and Todd Oudemool (once) – have won 22 or more face-offs.

One of just seven Division I programs without a loss in the month of February, the Tar Heels remain undefeated with a 6-0 start to the 2020 season. This marks the fifth season that North Carolina has opened with six-straight victories under the leadership of head coach Joe Breschi (2009, 2010, 2015, 2018, 2020) and the 11th time in the history of the program. Richie Meade and his Paladins fall to 1-5 on the season following back-to-back losses to ACC teams.

Carolina remains undefeated in the all-time series against Furman with seven-straight victories. The Tar Heels finished Friday's game with their largest margin of victory over the Paladins since a 14-6 win at Fetzer Field in 2016.

Now 6-0, the Tar Heels have a quick turnaround before starting its four-game home series at Dorrance Field. Carolina will host Bryant on March 10, Georgetown on March 14, Dartmouth on March 17 and Maryland on March 21 before opening ACC play at Duke on March 26.

Key Moments
» The Tar Heels and the Paladins got off to a slow start with Carolina scoring just two goals while holding Furman scoreless in the first quarter. The first points of the game did not come until over halfway through the period when Chris Gray assisted Brian Cameron before later scoring his own goal off an assist from Lance Tillman.
» With another low-scoring period, Carolina scored just two more goals while Furman put up three to bring its deficit at halftime to one goal. Tillman found Jacob Kelly for his second assist of the game, a career high, while Henry Schertzinger and Alex Trippi connected for the other Tar Heel goal of the quarter.
» Tanner Cook dominated the third quarter, opening the half with a hat trick in the first two minutes and finishing the period with all five Tar Heel goals. Cook's fourth and fifth goals were scored on assists from Chris Gray. Cook would go on to end the game with a career-high, six goals and a career-best, seven points, while Gray matched his season-high point total with nine (5g, 4a).
» Carolina ran away with an explosive 16-point fourth quarter, scoring as many goals in the final 15 minutes as it had through the first 45. Gray scored four goals and assisted Henry Schertzinger on another, Alex Trippi picked up a goal and two assists and five other Tar Heels contributed to the other seven points in the period.

Other Notable Individual Highlights
» Chris Gray matched a season-high, nine points with five goals and four assists against Furman. Through his first six games as a Tar Heel, Gray has totaled 40 points with 23 goals and 17 assists and leads the team in each category so far this season.
» Tanner Cook matched his then-career high of five goals in the third quarter alone, scoring a hat trick in the first two minutes of the second half and topping off the quarter with two more goals on assists from Chris Gray. Cook would go on to finish the game with a career-high, six goals and a career-high, seven points.
» Zac Tucci won the second-most face-offs of his career, going 20 of 25 at the X for a career-best, single-game winning percentage (.800). Tucci's performance against Furman marks the 12th time a Tar Heel has won 20 or more face-offs in a single game. Last season, Tucci won 21 draws against Furman for the third-most face-off wins. Only three Tar Heels – Shane Walterhoefer (twice), Stephen Kelly (twice) and Todd Oudemool (once) – have won 22 or more face-offs.
» In addition to Gray and Cook, eight more Tar Heels contributed to Carolina's 31 points with four players having multi-point games. Alex Trippi put up four points (2g, 2a) while Lance Tillman made his first three assists of his collegiate career for a career-best, three points (3a). Jacob Kelly and Henry Schertzinger each had two points with one goal and one assist. William Perry (1g), Brian Cameron (1g) and Justin Anderson (1a) had one point each and defensive short-stick midfielder Connor Maher scored his first collegiate goal off an assist from Trippi.

Notable Team Achievements
» The Tar Heels totaled 18 goals – zero man-up – and 13 assists for 31 points on 44 shots. The team also combined for 39 ground balls and six Heels forced eight turnovers in its sixth win of the season.
» UNC is undefeated in its seven-game series against Furman, and the Tar Heels' 18 goals against the Paladins are their second most in the history of the series. Carolina scored 19 goals in its first two matchups against Furman, winning 19-3 in 2014 and 19-4 in 2015.
» Friday's 29 combined goals between the two teams also tied for the most in series history. Carolina and Furman last totaled 29 goals in 2018 when UNC won 15-14 in overtime in Chapel Hill.
» Between three face-off midfielders, Carolina went 25 of 32 at the X for its most face-off wins and best face-off winning percentage (.781) of the season.