Carolina claims ACC women’s lacrosse championship in thriller
The undefeated Tar Heels erased a two-goal deficit in the final quarter to defeat Boston College for their eighth league title.
Top-ranked Carolina women’s lacrosse went on a 5-1 run to close a thrilling game with No. 2 Boston College and win the ACC Championship, 14-12, Sunday in Charlotte. This is the Tar Heels’ eighth ACC title and its first since 2022. In the seesaw matchup, the teams exchanged goals for most of the 60 minutes. BC jumped ahead by two at 11-9 early in the fourth quarter, but Carolina dug deep and went on the 5-1 run to take the lead and close the game out.
Chloe Humphrey finished with a team-high five points (three goals, two assists) and was voted ACC Tournament MVP, joined on the all-tournament team by Ashley Humphrey, Eliza Osburn, Ellie Traggio and Betty Nelson.
The Tar Heels (18-0) extended their nation-leading win streak to 18 games, while the Eagles fell to 17-2.
How it happened
- BC got on the board first, but Carolina fired back through goals from Olivia Vergano and Osburn.
- Humphrey went to work on a clear out and fired home, tying things at three.
- Kiley Mottice buried one on a beautiful feed from Caroline Godine. All square at four.
- The back and forth continued as Osburn tied it at five just seconds after BC took the lead.
- Humphrey scored her second early in the second quarter, which gave the Tar Heels a 6-5 lead.
- Sam Forrest went on a coast-to-coast run and then buried the second goal of her career.
- The Tar Heels were held scoreless over the final 10 minutes of the half, but BC could only tie it up and the score was 7-7 at halftime.
- Osburn scored eight seconds into the second half to complete her hat trick.
- BC led going into the fourth, 9-8, in a game where both goalies were exchanging saves left and right.
- Marissa White buried a beautiful feed from Godine to tie it at 9.
- After BC netted twice, Godine slammed one home to cut the deficit to 11-10.
- White scored again from Mottice, and the Tar Heels rattled off three in a row to take a 12-11 lead.
- Kate Levy went coast to coast with a lung-busting run and finished to make it 13-11.
- BC answered with their 12th with 1:13 left.
- The Tar Heels ran out the clock and capped the game with a goal from Humphrey to win, 14-12
Inside the box score
- BC outshot Carolina 37-35, but the Tar Heels had more shots on goal (28-20).
- Both goalies were outstanding with Carolina’s Nelson making eight saves and BC’s Shea Dolce making 14.
- Draw controls were huge for Carolina. The Heels led that stat line 19-11, including an 8-2 edge in the critical fourth quarter.
- Osburn netted a hat trick and posted a career high in draw controls with six.
- Sophie Student (6) and Levy (4) were also huge in the draw-control advantage.
- Humphrey tallied a hat trick for the 15th time in 18 games this season.
- White scored two clutch goals in the fourth quarter, bringing her season tally to 34.
Tar Heel tidbits
- Carolina remains the only undefeated team in the country.
- The Heels are now 23-8 all-time versus Boston College and 2-0 this season.
- Carolina extended its nation-leading win streak to 18 games.
- Carolina has won 93 of its last 105 games.
- Carolina has outscored its opponents 315-120 for a margin of +195.
- Humphrey now has 73 goals this season, moving her into third on Carolina’s single-season goals list. The 73 goals are the most for a first-year at Carolina, bettering Jamie Ortega’s mark of 70 from 2018.
- Humphrey’s 97 points are seventh on Carolina’s single-season list.
Up next
No. 1 Carolina will learn its path in the NCAA Tournament with the selection show on Sunday, May 4, at 9 p.m.
