In a battle of Top 3 teams, No. 2 UNC outscored No. 3 Northwestern 9-4 in the second half to earn a 15-12 road win Thursday night.

 

It was a game of runs, as the Tar Heels scored four unanswered goals to take a 4-1 lead inside the game’s first seven minutes, but the Wildcats would use a 7-1 run over the next 20 minutes of game time to go in front 8-5. An Olivia Vergano goal on the stroke of halftime gave UNC a spark, and the Tar Heels used that momentum to open the second half with seven consecutive goals to flip the game on its head. The 13-8 lead would stand for the rest of the game, as the Wildcats wouldn’t get within two goals for the remainder of the evening.

Chloe Humphrey accounted for more than half of the UNC goals, scoring four and assisting on four more for a game-high eight assists. Kiley Mottice scored consecutive goals in less than a minute in the third quarter to finish with a hat trick, while Vergano, Ashley Humphrey and Kate Levy all scored twice.

The win is UNC’s highest-ranked win of the season. The Tar Heels have already defeated three teams ranked inside the Top 5 and three more ranked inside the Top 20. UNC is also 5-0 in true road games. Now 10-0 on the season, Carolina will be back in action when it visits No. 20 Notre Dame Sunday at 3 p.m.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Anthony Sorbellini

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 newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
UNC Women's Lacrosse Dominates Cal to Stay Unbeaten
No. 1 Carolina scored 11 unanswered goals to open the game and pull away from Cal early in Berkeley Thursday, and the Tar Heels rode that wave to a 20-3 win. It’s UNC’s 30th consecutive win going back to the 2025 season, which is a new program record. West Coast Dubs 🐏#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/9BWAHiqrPV […]
UNC Lacrosse: Men, Women Both Dominate in Home Wins
The UNC men’s and women’s lacrosse teams each picked up comfortable home wins Saturday, with the top-ranked women defeating Pitt 19-3 and the No. 5 men defeating Brown 19-7. The women were up first Saturday, and they quickly took control with two goals in the opening two minutes. The first half was all Tar Heels, […]
UNC Women's Lacrosse Wins at No. 11 Clemson; Now 6-0 in 2026
Chloe Humphrey scored seven goals for the second consecutive game as UNC beat No. 11 Clemson 12-9 on the road Wednesday night. It’s Carolina’s sixth consecutive win to begin the season and 28th in a row overall. Dub, Tar Heels 🐏#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/NhfxCT6P7P — UNC Women's Lacrosse (@uncwlax) March 5, 2026 Humphrey’s seven […]
UNC Lacrosse: Women Romp Past Florida State, Men Split Ivy League Weekend
The top-ranked UNC men’s and women’s lacrosse teams were both in action Friday evening, and both earned wins to continue their unbeaten starts to 2026. On the women’s side, the Tar Heels hosted Florida State at Dorrance Field in the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Carolina wasted no time getting off to a hot […]
UNC Lacrosse: Men's and Women's Teams Both Ranked No. 1 in Latest Polls
As of Feb. 23, 2026, Chapel Hill is the center of the collegiate lacrosse world. The UNC men’s and women’s lacrosse teams are both ranked No. 1 in the latest Inside Lacrosse polls, which were released Monday. 𝗡𝗼. 𝟭 𝗨!@UNCMensLacrosse joins @uncwlax at the top spot in the Week 3️⃣ @kanefootwear Media Polls. pic.twitter.com/ckKe35KDZT — […]
UNC Lacrosse: Women Thump Ohio State and Louisville, Men Beat No. 13 Johns Hopkins
The UNC men’s and women’s lacrosse teams both picked up decisive home wins Friday at Dorrance Field, with the top-ranked women beating Ohio State 22-9 and the third-ranked men defeating No. 13 Johns Hopkins 17-9. The women’s team followed up its win against the Buckeyes with another blowout victory against Louisville Sunday. In the first […]
Chansky's Notebook: The Killers
The UNC women's lacrosse team is rolling once again as it looks to defend its 2025 national championship win.
UNC Lacrosse: Women Win at No. 13 Syracuse, Men Beat High Point and Iona
Both UNC lacrosse teams were in action Friday, and both came away with wins, with the men’s team also winning Sunday. Early Friday afternoon, the No. 1 UNC women overcame an early 3-1 deficit at No. 13 Syracuse and beat the Orange 13-9. It’s Carolina’s 24th consecutive win. Heels win a good one in the […]
UNC Women's Lacrosse Opens 2026 Season With Win at No. 19 James Madison
The defending national champions opened the 2026 season in style Friday afternoon, as No. 1 UNC led wire-to-wire in a 19-11 win at No. 19 James Madison. Season-opening dub 👐#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/NHwDGhaLvz — UNC Women's Lacrosse (@uncwlax) February 6, 2026 Reigning national player of the year Chloe Humphrey picked up right where she left […]
UNC Lacrosse: Men Ranked No. 5, Women Ranked No. 1 in Preseason Poll
The USA Lacrosse Preseason Polls have been released, and voters are high on the UNC men and women as the 2026 season approaches. The men’s team is ranked No. 5, while the women’s team is ranked No. 1 following its national championship 2025 season. The UNC men’s team reached the NCAA Tournament in 2025, breaking […]
›