The UNC women's lacrosse team is proving once again why they're the gold standard in college lacrosse. For the 20th time in 21 seasons, the Tar Heels are heading back to the NCAA quarterfinals, and they did it in emphatic fashion.
As the #2 seed and defending national champions, North Carolina came out firing after a first-round bye, dismantling unseeded Clemson 17-6. While the final score looks dominant, the game was even more one-sided than the numbers suggest. After Clemson took an early 1-0 lead at the 12:35 mark of the first quarter, the Tar Heels flipped the switch completely. Carolina rattled off an astonishing 16 consecutive goals—including nine in a blistering second quarter—while holding the Tigers scoreless for over 40 minutes of game time.
The star of the show was none other than reigning Tewaaraton Award winner Chloe Humphrey. The sophomore sensation outscored Clemson all by herself, netting seven goals—six of which came in the first half alone. Humphrey finished with 11 points on the day, matching her career high. She now sits atop Division I with 99 goals and 144 points this season, numbers that have the lacrosse world buzzing.
In goal, head coach Jenny Levy deployed a two-goalie system, with sophomores Betty Nelson and Lexi Zenk splitting halves. Nelson was nearly perfect, stopping four of five shots in the first half, while Zenk turned away five of 10 in the second. With the game well in hand, Levy took her foot off the gas in the second half, which kept some stats closer than expected. Still, the Tar Heels dominated the draw circle, finishing with a 16-5 advantage.
Next up, UNC hosts unseeded Stanford on Thursday at 7:30 PM ET on ESPNU. The Cardinal pulled off an upset of their own, knocking off #7 seed Michigan. This will be the third meeting between these two teams this season, and the Tar Heels have had Stanford's number so far, winning 18-9 in the regular season and 12-8 in the ACC championship game. With Humphrey leading the charge and the defense locked in, Carolina looks poised to make another deep run. For fans, this is must-watch lacrosse—and the perfect time to gear up in Tar Heels apparel to show your support.