The UNC women’s lacrosse team’s 2024 season came to an end on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, as the Gators defeated the Tar Heels 17-8 in Charlottesville.

Florida raced out to a 5-2 lead after the first quarter, and though Carolina cut the lead to two goals multiple times in the second quarter, the Tar Heels never completely erased the deficit. The Gators ended the second on a 4-1 run to take an 11-6 lead at halftime, then extended that lead to as large as 17-7 by the late fourth quarter.

Caroline Godine, Alyssa Long and Caitlyn Wurzburger each scored twice. It’s potentially the final college game for Wurzburger and Long, who are graduating seniors but still can come back for a fifth season next spring.

This is the first full season Carolina will have gone without an NCAA Tournament win since 2004, when the Tar Heels didn’t make the field. It’s the first time Carolina has lost its tournament opener since 1999. UNC will go two seasons without appearing in the national semifinals for the first time since 2007 and 2008.

 

Featured image via UNC Women’s Lacrosse on Twitter

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