North Carolina Keeps Momentum in Mind
by Patrick Stevens | Special to Lacrosse Magazine Online
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Logan Ripley overcame early struggles and came up with big saves late against Northwestern, leading No. 1 North Carolina to its third win in eight games -- all against top-five opponents. © TD Paulius/Midwest Lacrosse Photography |
North Carolina women’s lacrosse coach Jenny Levy was impressed with her team’s play in Sunday’s 18-16 victory at then-No. 1 Northwestern.
Perhaps more pleasing was how the Tar Heels handled the stretch leading into it.
“We’re coming off eight days and three top-five opponents, starting with Maryland and then Duke and Northwestern,” Levy said. “In the time I’ve been here, that’s probably the toughest stretch I’ve put my team through, schedule-wise.”
Difficult as it was, the Tar Heels (13-1) came out with three victories. It was perhaps a hint last year’s run to the national title game -- which ended with a loss to Northwestern -- was the precursor to something even greater.
Carolina, though, is doing what it can to avoiding thinking that way.
Sure, the Tar Heels ended Northwestern’s 41-game winning streak. And, yes, North Carolina is the No. 1 seed in this weekend’s ACC tournament in College Park, Md., where Levy’s team will attempt to bring home the program’s first conference title since 2002.
Yet this was only a beginning -- albeit an impressive one -- rather than an end.
“It was a difficult week, and I’m ecstatic that we went 3-0, but like our coach was comparing it to, it was good preparation for what the NCAA tournament is going to be like,” attacker Corey Donohoe said. “You’re going to be playing top teams and you’re got to take it one step at a time. You can’t get to the second game unless you win the first game.”
Each step is made a little easier with a balanced team, and the Tar Heels can rely on both ends of the field to carry them if need be.
That’s how it unfolded at Northwestern, where the Tar Heels rattled off a dozen goals in the first half. Five players scored at least twice, and seven Tar Heels -- led by Laura Zimmerman’s five goals and two assists -- had at least two points.
Yet in the second half, it was Carolina’s defense that
secured the victory. Goalie Logan Ripley had seven saves and
yielded only four goals after the break to help the Tar Heels
successfully complete
their toughest stretch of the season.
“When the defense has a huge stop and gets the ball out
fast, it makes the offense want to reward them for the great
defense they just played,” Donohoe said. “It helps, and
it really pumps us up. In
practice, we have to play against one of the best defenses in the
country, and it really prepares us for when we play in
games.”
The balance shows up in the national statistics, too. North Carolina, which will meet either Duke or Boston College in Friday’s ACC semifinals, ranks third in both scoring offense and scoring defense.
“We’re still working toward playing our best game for 60 minutes with both ends of the field clicking on all cylinders,” Levy said. “We’ve got a great goalkeeper and great defenders -- individually and as a unit… And we have the ability to put the ball in the back of the net and put pressure on other teams.”
Just ask Maryland, Duke and Northwestern, the strong opponents the Tar Heels (whose only loss came in overtime at Virginia on March 13) overcame to enter the conference tournament on a seven-game winning streak.
“I would feel a lot differently if we went 0-3 over that
last stretch, but we came out 3-0 and that’s great,”
Levy said. “It certainly gave out kids some confidence. As a
coach, it is great to see how my kids responded to each of these
challenges.”
ACC Women's Lacrosse Notes
Like North Carolina, Maryland will have a bye in this weekend’s tournament. Thursday’s first-round games include Duke-Boston College and Virginia-Virginia Tech matchups... Ten ACC players were named to the Tewaaraton Awards candidate list, six more than any other conference… Boston College’s Lauren Costello (66 points) and Maryland’s Karri Ellen Johnson (60 points) lead the conference in points, while North Carolina’s Logan Ripley (6.77 goals against average) is the top goalie among players who have logged more than half their team's minutes.
