The North Carolina women’s lacrosse team has finally claimed what it’s been chasing.
After 14 NCAA tournament appearances in the program’s 18-year history, the North Carolina women’s lacrosse team claimed its first championship win Sunday.
The No. 3 Tar Heels defeated top-ranked Maryland in the NCAA title game that lasted three overtimes, resulting in UNC players celebrating in a sea of confetti while hoisting the school’s first-ever women’s lacrosse national championship trophy.
With the victory, UNC broke the school record the Tar Heels set in 2002 and tied again in 2010 for most wins in a season, ending the year as not only the nation’s top team, but also as the best in UNC’s history.
From a loss to a winning streak
UNC began the year ranked fifth and lost its first game of the season to then third-ranked Florida.
“For us, it’s just to go out — not for revenge — but to better ourselves for the next game,” junior defender Sloane Serpe said after the 5-3 loss. “This is only going to make us work that much harder.”
The Tar Heels then defeated 11 consecutive opponents — six of which were ranked — including defending national champion and then-No. 1 Northwestern.
UNC’s winning streak, which is tied for the second-longest in school history, was snapped by ACC rival Maryland, who defeated the Tar Heels 14-13.