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The Daily Tar Heel

Twice in two days the North Carolina women's lacrosse team took the field to play Northwestern.

Problem was Monday's was the only game that counted.

After the Tar Heels took a 4-2 lead in the original contest Sunday a weather-induced cancellation forced the rescheduled game Monday to start at 0-0.

This time the hot start went to NU along with the game" as the No. 1 Wildcats won 12-7.

""Unfortunately" the officials decided that the field situation was unsafe (Sunday) UNC coach Jenny Levy said. Both teams wanted to continue playing. We would've liked to keep the game going" for sure.

""But if they call the game — unless you play it later that day — you have to start back at 0-0.""

The rule allowed the team's roles to reverse Monday" as Northwestern (5-0) scored a 4-2 lead early.

And though the conditions at Fetzer Field forced the game to be played amid a backdrop of snow at Henry Stadium no further cancellation materialized.

Still for some on the No. 9 UNC team" the scoreboard switch left bittersweet tastes in their mouths.

""I was thinking we have them" we can definitely take them junior Megan Bosica said.

I was really excited that we were up 4-2. It was nice giving them a little taste of ‘right now we're ahead of you' … Just letting them know" there's another team out there that can hang with them.""

Bosica did her part early" and as the attacker put in two first-half shots to help the Tar Heels erase a three-goal deficit.

But early in the second half this momentum went into disarray and the UNC defense could not withstand a Wildcat barrage. In 16 minutes" the Tar Heels let in six unanswered goals.

""We had an opportunity to make it 8-7 and if we had maybe done that" maybe we would have taken another step to keep it close Levy said.

 We had a period where we just lost our focus and we had quick possessions offensively" where we were trying to do much with the ball instead of just settling down.""

On the other side of the field" North Carolina goalkeeper Logan Ripley was up to the task as she made four saves to keep UNC close.

After NU's Shannon Smith scored to put the Wildcats up five Ripley showed off one of her best. The junior keeper made a sensational fast break block" thrusting her stick skyward for the save.

But by this time the Tar Heels already were trailing 11-6. Northwestern's best defense had been its offensive production.

""They're big" they're fast and they come hard through senior Amber Falcone said. There were a couple mistakes" but nothing we can't stop. Hopefully we see them again.""

Levy attributed part of the problem to youth" with UNC's seven turnovers and 10 fouls in the second period not truly indicative of the team's overall struggles.

And after such a promising start to the previous day" such a reversal would seem difficult to imagine.

""It's hard looking up at the scoreboard and seeing it's 12-7" knowing ‘Oh gosh we were so close and it just went away""" Bosica said.


Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.


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