UNC Lacrosse: Women Pull Away from Virginia Tech, Men Crush High Point

The UNC lacrosse teams each earned road wins during the week, as the second-ranked women used a dominant second half to pull away from Virginia Tech 21-9 and the fifth-ranked men cruised past High Point 14-2.

In Blacksburg Thursday night, the Tar Heels outscored the Hokies 13-3 in the second half to turn a competitive game into a blowout.

The upset-minded hosts led 3-1 in the first quarter and tied the score at 6-6 early in the second, but the Tar Heels scored a pair of unanswered goals to end the quarter and jumpstart their momentum for the second half. Marissa White and Chloe Humphrey each scored within the first 2:30 of the third quarter, extending the UNC lead to 10-6, and the Tar Heels never looked back.

Humphrey scored four goals in the second half and finished with five on the evening. Both Ashley and Nicole Humphrey found the back of the net as well, marking the first time all three sisters had scored in a collegiate game. Olivia Vergano, playing against her old team, tied Chloe Humphrey for the team lead with five goals. White, Ashley Humphrey, Eliza Osburn and Kate Levy each scored twice.

No. 2 UNC is now 9-0 on the season and 5-0 in conference play. The Tar Heels have won each of their last five games by at least 12 goals, and their smallest margin of victory this season is five. In addition, the team is 4-0 on the road, already surpassing its road win total from the 2024 season.

Carolina will be back in action when it visits No. 3 Northwestern next Thursday, March 27 at 8 p.m.

The next night in High Point, UNC took control quickly and never entertained any thoughts of a surprise loss. Owen Duffy and Dominic Pietramala each scored within the game’s first five minutes, giving Carolina an early lead it wouldn’t relinquish. Both Tar Heel stars scored again before the first quarter ended, and UNC entered the second with a 5-1 lead.

That lead grew to 7-2 at halftime and only ballooned from there. The Tar Heels shut the Panthers out in the second half and added seven more goals of their own. Duffy and Pietramala each finished with hat tricks, while James Matan and Ty English added two goals apiece.

UNC is now 7-1 on the season, equaling its win totals from both the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Up next, the Tar Heels will visit West Point for a critical non-conference clash at No. 3 Army. The game is scheduled for Saturday, March 29 at 12 p.m.

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Ryan Hunt

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UNC Lacrosse: Women Pull Away from Virginia Tech, Men Crush High Point

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