It’s now official.
Not only did this year’s edition of the UNC men’s lacrosse team become the first to win the national championship with six losses–it also did it without a single first-team All-American.
The Tar Heels did, however, get six players named to either the second, third or honorable mention teams.
Senior defensive midfielder Jake Matthai–the 6-foot-6 captain with the long blonde mane–led the way with his selection as a second-team All-American.
UNC’s other captain–junior defenseman Austin Pifani–was chosen to the third team for his work in 2016, which included 14 forced turnovers.
After switching from a midfielder to an attacking role in this, his senior season, Steve Pontrello highlighted the Tar Heels’ four honorable mention selections.
Pontrello was the team’s leading scorer in 2016 with a career-high 49 goals and 21 assists.
He was joined on the honorable mention team by fellow senior Patrick Kelly, as well as a pair of juniors–Michael Tagliaferri and faceoff specialist Stephen Kelly.
Tagliaferri and Patrick Kelly each scored 27 goals this season–tying for fourth on the team.
They also both came up with critical plays in the NCAA Championship Game last Monday–with Kelly scoring the goal that sent the game to overtime and Tagliaferri assisting on Chris Cloutier’s game-winner.
Rounding out the All-Americans, Stephen Kelly was quite possibly the most important player in the Tar Heels’ stunning run to the title.
His faceoff excellence–winning an incredible 57 percent of his 434 draws this season–allowed UNC to routinely gain control of its games by going on big runs while its opponents struggled to get the ball back.
Kelly’s 249 faceoff wins in 2016 finished second in school history behind only Shane Walterhoefer’s 269 back in 2009.
Despite having no first-teamers, UNC used its lack of star power to bond together as a group–with each player fulfilling his role perfectly down the stretch.
This list is just another example.
Comments on Chapelboro are moderated according to our Community Guidelines