One obstacle has prevented North Carolina from securing the ACC championship in each of the past three seasons: the Terrapins women’s lacrosse team.
So the No. 2 Tar Heels should have little trouble finding motivation for tomorrow’s matchup against the No. 1 Terps at Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex.
“They always bring a lot of intensity,” attacker Alex Aust said. “Playing them the last three years has been awesome, and I don’t think this time will be any different. They always come ready to play.”
The Tar Heels are riding an 11-game winning streak and are coming off an 18-11 conference victory at Virginia Tech. The squad ranks second in the conference with 8.1 goals allowed per game and third in goals per game with 12.33.
But the Terps have had a stellar season of their own. Since claiming the country’s top spot nearly six weeks ago, the Terps have continued to cement their claim as a national title frontrunner. They have won 13 consecutive games to start the season and boast the nation’s No. 2 scoring offense.
Still, North Carolina represents arguably the Terps’ (13-0, 3-0 ACC) toughest challenge so far this season. The Tar Heels (11-1, 4-0) haven’t lost since falling to Florida on Feb. 9, and they’re outscoring opponents by a gaudy 145-93 margin in that span.
“It’s going to be a challenge,” coach Cathy Reese said. “Similar to our team, all of their offensive players can score. … We need to step up as a team and play great defense.”
The Tar Heels feature one of the most dynamic midfielders in the nation, Kara Cannizzaro, who is averaging just fewer than 3 goals per game. Terps midfielder Katie Schwarzmann recently shut out the nation’s leading scorer, Stony Brook midfielder Demmianne Cook, so she’ll likely be called on to stop Cannizzaro tomorrow.
“Cannizzaro is a very talented player,” Reese said. “She’s an outstanding player and the two have had good matchups throughout the years, and I expect more of the same.”
Cannizzaro is hardly the only Tar Heel capable of finding the back of the net though, considering she is one of five North Carolina players who have notched at least 15 goals this season.
Goalkeepercq Kasey Howard isn’t particularly worried about North Carolina’s high-powered attack. The Terps just have to execute the little things to stop their opponents, she said.
“I think our defense just needs to communicate,” Howard said. “We’ll be fired up as well; it should be a lot of good energy, and if we can just play smart and composed, we got it.”
Last season, the Tar Heels ended the Terps’ six-game regular-season winning streak. Reese’s squad ultimately redeemed itself with a victory over the Tar Heels in the ACC title game.
But if history serves as any indicator, chances are tomorrow won’t be the last time the Terps face the Tar Heels this year. The ACC finals will take place in Chapel Hill, N.C., on April 28.
“We always end up playing Carolina more than once a season,” Schwarzmann said. “Its going to be good for us to come out and see how we match up. … They’re going to come out with a lot of intensity, so we are just hoping to match that.”
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