CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Entering their NCAA first round game against third-seeded North Carolina, the Tigers (13-6) were hoping to continue their historic season by getting their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory. However, the Tar Heels (14-4) used a nine-goal run in the first and second halves to spoil those plans and end the Tigers' season with a 15-4 loss at Fetzer Field on Sunday afternoon.
Junior attacker Kristen Taylor and sophomore attacker Corey Donohoe each scored three goals and added an assist as the Tar Heels will advance to Saturday's quarterfinals and will play either Notre Dame or Vanderbilt at Fetzer Field.
“It was an unfortunate game for us,” Towson Coach Missy Doherty said. “North Carolina did a great job of getting us to turn over the ball. We weren't able to get into the offensive end of the field and when you play most of the game in the defensive end, it's tough to win.”
After the teams traded goals in the opening four minutes, the Tar Heels scored three straight goals in a six-minute span to take a 4-2 advantage with 15:00 remaining in the first half.
With 10:24 left in the first half, senior midfielder Britt Woodfield scored off an assist from senior attacker Meggie McNamara to narrow the deficit to 4-2.
Led by Donohoe and Taylor, the Tar Heels erupted for nine straight goals over a 20-minute span to take a commanding 13-2 lead midway through the second half. Donohoe scored all three of her goals during that span while Taylor added a goal with an assist.
The Tigers ended a nearly 31-minute scoring drought with 8:50 remaining when junior attacker Jacie Kendall scored an unassisted goal to cut the margin to 13-3, but the Tar Heels closed out the game with two of the final three goals.
While Taylor and Donohoe led the Tar Heels with a four-point effort, senior attacker Chelsea Parks contributed three goals for the Tar Heels, who outshot the Tigers by a 32-17 margin.
“I thought we played a really solid game from start to finish today,” North Carolina Coach Jenny Levy said. “Fundamentally and discipline wise, we did a great job. That's some of the stuff we have been really talking about.”
Junior midfielder Nikki Marcinik led the Tigers in the loss with two goals, upping her season total to 50 goals. She became the 10th player in school history to score 50 goals in a season and led the Tigers with 70 points.
Meanwhile, freshman goalkeeper Mary Teeters made 11 saves in the loss for the Tigers.
“Mary really stepped up for us today like she has all season,” Coach Doherty said. “We just weren't able to get down to the offensive end after she made the saves.”
College Women's Lacrosse: #3 University of North Carolina 15, Towson University 4
Towson (13-6) 2-2 / 4
North Carolina (14-4) 7-8 / 15
Goals: TOW ? Nikki Marcinik 2, Britt Woodfield 1, Jacie Kendall 1; UNC ? Kristen Taylor 3, Corey Donohoe 3, Chelsea Parks 3, Megan Bosica 2, Becky Lynch 1, Laura Zimmerman 1, Kaitlyn Messinger 1, Caitlin Young 1. Assists: TOW ? Meggie McNamara 1; UNC ? Becky Lynch 2, Katie Brooks 1, Corey Donohoe 1, Kristen Taylor 1. Saves: TOW ? Mary Teeters 11 (51:12, 13 goals allowed), Casey Lean 1 (8:48, 2 goals allowed); UNC ? Logan Ripley 9 (60:00, 4 goals allowed). Shots: TOW ? 17; UNC ? 32. Free-Position Shots: TOW ? 0 for 2; UNC ? 4 for 7. Attendance: 231.
