Tar Heels Fall to Boston College in National Semifinal

The UNC women's lacrosse team lost their first game of the season in the Final Four.

TOWSON, M.D. – Just like the Carolina women’s tennis team, the women’s lacrosse team lost their first match of the season in the national semifinals, falling 11-10 to Boston College.

After a Boston College goal opened the scoring just 80 seconds into the match, UNC went on a quick three-goal spurt over the next four minutes to take a 3-1 lead. At this point, it appeared that we were in for a rematch of the regular season match where the Tar Heels downed the Eagles 21-9 in Chapel Hill.

Another dominant performance was not in the cards for Carolina, though, as Boston College scored five of the next six goals and seven of the next nine to take an 8-5 halftime lead.

The Tar Heels couldn’t gain any momentum shift coming out of the locker room, allowing Boston College to score three of the first four goals of the second half, seizing an 11-6 lead with 15:27 left.

The UNC defense held firm for the rest of the match, not surrendering another goal. The question though: Was 15:27 enough time for the Tar Heels to score at least five goals to tie things up?

12:16 – Goal by Caitlyn Wurzburger, assist to Tayler Warehime. 11-7.

10:43 – Goal by Katie Hoeg, assist to Caitlyn Wurzburger. 11-8.

At this point, you start wondering: Do the Tar Heels have the same magic in them that allowed the comeback last weekend against Stony Brook in the quarterfinals?

5:07 – Goal by Katie Hoeg. 11-9.

“Now,” you think, “this is really doable”.

4:49 – Shot by Elizabeth Hillman is saved

2:31 – Shot by Jamie Ortega hits post

2:13 – Shot by Ally Mastroianni is too high

1:53 – Shot by Scottie Rose Growney is saved

“One of those really needed to go in to have a chance to actually pull this off.”

0:01 – Goal by Ally Mastroianni. 11-10.

The clock literally ran out on the comeback. It’s the type of match that left you with the feeling that even just a couple more minutes on the clock would have allowed the Tar Heels to pull out the victory.

But there weren’t and they didn’t. Boston College moves on to the National Championship.

Katie Hoeg and Caitlyn Wurzburger led the way with three goals each for Carolina. Jamie Ortega had one goal and added two assists.

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