The No. 1 UNC women’s lacrosse team took on another top-5 opponent on the road Saturday afternoon, and once again prevailed in thrilling fashion. The Tar Heels and No. 4 Syracuse went back and forth all game in the Carrier Dome, but it was a late goal from star attacker Jamie Ortega which sealed the Carolina victory, ensuring the nation’s top team would stay unbeaten just a little longer.

The Jamie Ortega Show played all afternoon for Carolina, as her final goal in the fourth quarter marked her fifth of the game to lead all scorers. It was Ortega’s 31st career game with at least five goals, and moved her closer to the all-time ACC record of 445 career points. Ortega currently sits at 424.

A nip-and-tuck first half ended with the Tar Heels and Orange tied at 7-7 off a goal from Ortega with just 24 seconds to go in the second quarter. Neither team led by more than a goal during the first half.

Syracuse opened the third quarter with a goal less than a minute in, but Carolina responded with a game-changing 4-0 run in a little more than four minutes, with Ortega scoring the final two to give UNC its biggest lead of the game at 11-8. Scottie Rose Growney found the net for the second time in the game during the run, as did junior defender Emily Nalls, whose goal was her first all season.

The Orange responded with two straight scores to slice the lead down to 11-10, but Caitlyn Wurzbuger gave the Tar Heels a lift entering the fourth, scoring with just one second remaining on the third quarter clock off a free position play, ensuring Carolina would enter the final 15 minutes with a two-goal lead.

The final quarter was the lowest-scoring period of the game. Andie Aldave restored UNC’s three-goal lead just 56 seconds in, but Carolina’s offense fell silent for the majority of the quarter as the Orange got back to within a goal with three minutes to go. With the pressure on, the ball found Ortega again, who bled the shot clock down to single digits before delivering the dagger with 1:36 to go. The Orange wouldn’t score again.

The 14-12 victory is UNC’s 39th straight regular season win, 17th straight road win and 40th overall in its last 41 games. The No. 1 Tar Heels are now 13-0 on the season, having defeated an eighth ranked opponent. Yet another one awaits on Thursday, as Carolina will travel to No. 16 Virginia for a midweek showdown at 8 p.m. on ACC Network.

 

Featured image via Syracuse Athletic Communications

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
UNC Women's Sports Programs Win 2024-25 Capital One Cup
UNC has been named the winner of the 2024-25 Capital One Cup, awarded annually to the most successful women’s athletic program of the season. The winner is determined by accumulating points in a combination of NCAA championship wins and major poll finishes. Four women’s sports programs at UNC – field hockey, soccer, lacrosse and tennis […]
Check Out the Complete Schedule for UNC's 'ACC Network Takeover' July 8
The ACC Network will feature 24 hours of Tar Heel highlights from the 2024-25 athletic year Tuesday as part of its annual “ACC Network Takeover.” Programming begins at midnight and lasts through 11:59 p.m. Featured games include the women’s basketball team’s win against No. 10 NC State at Carmichael Arena back in February. Those who […]
UNC's Chloe Humphrey Wins Honda Sport Award for Lacrosse
UNC star freshman Chloe Humphrey has been named the 2025 winner of the Honda Sport Award for lacrosse. The Honda Sport Award honors the national players of the year in all collegiate women’s sports. Honda Humphrey 🤌 Chloe Humphrey is this year’s winner of the Honda Sport Award for Lacrosse! pic.twitter.com/VctEuZGEEB — UNC Women's Lacrosse […]
Just How Good Was UNC Women's Lacrosse in 2025? Here Are the Numbers
The UNC women’s lacrosse team finished off a perfect season by beating No. 3 Northwestern 12-8 to win its fourth national championship this past weekend. It’s UNC’s second perfect season in the last four years. The 22-0 overall record alone is impressive. But there are several other statistics which speak to just how dominant the […]
Chansky's Notebook: Tar Heel Trifecta
It was hard to leave the TV screen on a scintillating Sunday across UNC women's lacrosse, baseball and golf.
UNC Women's Lacrosse Beats No. 3 Northwestern to Win 4th National Championship
Jenny Levy and the Tar Heels are back on top. No. 1 UNC completed its second undefeated season in four years with a 12-8 win against No. 3 Northwestern in the national championship game Sunday afternoon in Foxboro, MA. It’s the fourth NCAA title in program history. The Dream Is Now Reality 🏆 Your Tar […]
Huge Run Helps UNC Women's Lacrosse Crush No. 4 Florida in NCAA Semifinals
Carolina is national championship-bound. No. 1 UNC scored 18 unanswered goals across the second, third and fourth quarters against No. 4 Florida in the NCAA semifinals in Foxboro, MA Friday afternoon, and the Tar Heels overcame an early deficit to cruise to a 20-4 win. On to the ‘Ship 🚀 pic.twitter.com/Sm4Ug112z4 — UNC Women's Lacrosse […]
UNC Women's Lacrosse in the National Championship: How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Start Time
The UNC women’s lacrosse team will continue its pursuit of a fourth national championship when it travels to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA for the NCAA Final Four this weekend. Carolina will face No. 3 Northwestern in the national title game Sunday. The Tar Heels are 21-0 and are the consensus No. 1 team in […]
UNC Women's Lacrosse Rolls Past Princeton, Advances to NCAA Semifinals
UNC scored eight unanswered goals across the first and second quarters on its way to a 19-10 win against Princeton in the NCAA quarterfinals Thursday night at Dorrance Field. Carolina is now Final Four-bound for the third time in the last five seasons and 14th time overall. To The Final Four We Go 🚀 pic.twitter.com/meYJk0nP1s […]
Art's Angle: Women's World
This past weekend was about the young women who make Carolina great in so many ways, particularly on the fields and courts. On Friday, the tennis Tar Heels defeated N.C. State for the third time this season, and this one was tougher than beating the Wolfpack in the regular season and the ACC tournament semifinals. […]
›