An incredible performance from sophomore attacker Jamie Ortega helped the No. 2 UNC women’s lacrosse team pull out a close 13-9 victory over the visiting High Point Panthers on Friday night at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill.

Ortega tied a career high with eight points in the game, as she tallied a whopping six goals and two assists in the win–moving the Tar Heels to 2-0 to begin the 2019 campaign.

UNC had to work much harder than expected for the win, as it scored the game’s final three goals to shake off the upset-minded Panthers.

Tayler Warehime added two goals for the Tar Heels, who also received scores from Katie Hoeg, Olivia Ferruci, Kara Klages and Elizabeth Hillman.

High Point fell to 1-1 with the loss, despite being tied at halftime 5-5 and later tying the score 8-8.

“We hustled, we worked hard, but we didn’t execute very well,” UNC head coach Jenny Levy said afterwards.  “We were sloppy and I felt we were a day late and a dollar short on a lot of things offensively. Some of that is how High Point plays defense and getting in shooting lanes, so I credit them for sure. 

“It wasn’t lack of effort tonight,” Levy continued. “It’s just locking in, communicating, executing and putting the ball away.  In the first half, I thought we had a lot of open looks at the cage that we just didn’t convert, and you can’t do that.”

Up Next:

UNC will have a short turnaround before its next game, which is a home game against ECU at Kenan Stadium on Sunday at noon.

 

 

 

Photo via Inside Lacrosse