CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Sarah Mollison found herself staring at a mirror image of the Terrapin women’s lacrosse team early Saturday afternoon.

As time wound down in the Terps’ 13-9 loss to No. 3 North Carolina, it was the Tar Heels who effortlessly weaved around the Terps’ defense, every stride milking precious seconds off the clock in a game becoming increasingly out of reach.

After regularly impressive performances against top-10 teams, this season had turned most end-of-game situations into mere walkthroughs for the No. 2 Terps. But the team suddenly found itself on the opposite end of the spectrum for the first time this season.

When the final buzzer sounded, North Carolina danced, hugged and sang along with the marching band’s victory song while the Terps were left to pick up the pieces of their first loss. For the second straight year, the Tar Heels ended the Terps’ bid for a perfect season.

Despite a furious comeback in the final 10 minutes, the Terps couldn’t overcome a season-high six-goal deficit against the Tar Heels, who looked more like the biggest challenge to No. 1 Northwestern than the Terps.

“We just didn’t execute,” midfielder Caitlyn McFadden said. “We came out a little scared, and I’m not sure why.”

After losing to the Tar Heels in the Final Four last season, the Terps (12-1, 3-1 ACC) hoped to use this weekend’s game as redemption. Instead, the Tar Heels (11-1, 3-1) stymied coach Cathy Reese’s team once again.

“I don’t think we put together a full 60 minutes of lacrosse,” Reese said. “It’s just simple for us, nothing complex for us to look at.”

After attacker Karri Ellen Johnson scored on a free position shot about four minutes into the game to open the scoring, the Tar Heels controlled both the offensive and defensive end. After Johnson’s goal, North Carolina outscored the Terps 6-3.

Midfielder Laura Merrifield cut the deficit to two heading into halftime, but the Terps struggled to start the second half with the same spark. The Tar Heels scored four consecutive goals to open up a 10-4 advantage — the Terps’ largest deficit of the season.

Once again, draw controls dictated the game. North Carolina dominated in the midfield circle, finishing with a 15-9 advantage.

“I believe draws are 50-50 balls, so there’s no reason why it can’t be Maryland’s,” Reese said.

With the Tar Heels constantly winning possession, the Terps struggled to form a comeback. Almost every time the Terps scored a goal, North Carolina answered with a won draw, forcing Reese’s team to go after turnovers.

“Once the team gets the draw over and over again, it becomes frustrating because you need the ball to score, and we didn’t get that,” Johnson said. “What Carolina did well was that they were hunting in packs when we relied on just one of us just trying to get it.”

Brittany Dipper started the game in goal for the Terps, and Mary Jordan came off the bench midway through the second half in relief. But Reese said she believed the season-high 13 goals allowed wasn’t their fault.

“When we leave people wide open in front of the cage, she should get scored on,” Reese said. “I would get angry at our kids if they didn’t make those wide open shots either. We need to help each other out defensively because they scored a lot of unassisted goals.”

Despite the draw control disadvantage, the Terps finished with one more shot than the Tar Heels. The difference was where Reese’s team took those shots. The Terps made only one of five free position shots.

Just as she did in the Final Four last year, North Carolina goalkeeper Logan Ripley thwarted the Terps’ offensive possessions with timely saves. The senior finished with a career-high 13 saves.

Unlike last season, though, the Terps still have more games to play. Though the loss ends any hope of an undefeated season, Reese’s team has the ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament to make up for it.

“I told the girls, ‘It’s not the end of the world,'” Reese said. “We’re a great lacrosse team, and we can play a full 60 minutes. There’s a lot of lacrosse to be played, and we’re probably going to play Carolina again down the road.”

ceckard@umdbk.com