Tar Heels strike quickly against Albany, Vanderbilt

The North Carolina women’s lacrosse team came out firing Friday night against Albany at Fetzer Field. After an hour and 15 minute rain delay, the Tar Heels struck quickly with three goals in just two minutes.

Albany never recovered.

“Getting some quick goals in the back of the net is huge for us,” coach Jenny Levy said. “What we can’t do is get complacent and not play hard in the beginning and get behind.”

The speed that UNC showed in the first few minutes was just a sneak peak of the way the team would play all weekend.

The quick strikes and agile moves that UNC made on the field exposed just how far the No. 16 Great Danes were from the No. 3 Tar Heels’ level of play.

In the first half of play, North Carolina outshot Albany 23-6.
Just 16 minutes into the game, North Carolina had an 8-1 lead, and junior Kara Cannizzaro and sophomore Abbey Friend each had three goals apiece before the halftime break.

“Just getting off to a strong start is really important to us,” Friend said.

The Tar Heels extended that lead to 13-4 as of halftime, and the game was all but over.

The Tar Heels outmatched and outplayed the Great Danes Friday, scoring 10 unassisted goals in the first half.

“Our team has probably scored more goals than I can even count. We’re putting in a really solid attack this year,” Friend said.

The No. 19 Vanderbilt Commodores walked onto Fetzer Field Sunday and experienced the same explosive start from the Tar Heels. UNC scored two goals in the first two minutes, and four before Vanderbilt could score once.

The Commodores did pose more of a threat to the Tar Heels than Albany, as their tight defense and toughness close to the net kept the game within reach for much of the first half. As the half came to a close, however, UNC netted the last two goals and made the score 10-5.

This first-half dominance is nothing new to the Tar Heels, as they have scored 54 goals this year before break, while their opponents have scored just 16.

As Levy and her players emphasize, coming out of the gates strong and taking control of the game is essential to success.

“It’s a lot easier when you’re up on a team, rather than having to come back,” senior captain Laura Zimmerman said. “That’s something we’re focusing on at the beginning of the game and after halftime.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@dailytarheel.com