UNC used clutch goals from Dominic Pietramala, Brevin Wilson and Owen Duffy to secure a 10-8 win against No. 9 Penn State at The Crown Lacrosse Classic in Charlotte Saturday night.
Though the three fourth-quarter goals from Pietramala, Duffy and Wilson provided the capper on the night, it was freshman Anthony Raio who stole the show with his first collegiate hat trick. Prior to Saturday, Raio had not scored more than one goal in a game this season.
The No. 2 overall recruit in his class, Raio got the scoring started early for UNC, netting his first goal to give the Tar Heels a 1-0 lead less than three minutes into the game. He was back at it in the second quarter, scoring again to break a 3-3 tie after Penn State had scored the final two goals of the first quarter. Raio broke another tie in the third, giving the Tar Heels a 7-6 lead entering the final 15 minutes.
In the fourth quarter, Pietramala and Wilson scored in a span of less than two minutes, staking UNC to its largest advantage of the game at 9-6. That three-goal cushion proved critical when Penn State scored two consecutive goals to cut the lead down to 9-8 with 5:37 remaining. The Nittany Lions would have a shot to tie the game in the final minutes, but Carolina goalie Josh Marcus made his seventh and final save of the evening to deny the chance. With UNC playing keep-away to run out the clock, Duffy found himself in front of an empty Penn State net and fired home the final goal, sealing the 10-8 win.
Saturday’s win is the third for Carolina against a ranked opponent this season. Now 7-1 overall, the Tar Heels will aim for another ranked win next Saturday, March 21 at 4:30 p.m. when they host No. 14 Army at Dorrance Field.
Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jeffrey A. Camarati
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