After a 14-10 loss to Maryland in the ACC tournament final Monday night, North Carolina’s women’s lacrosse team might wish its sport had a shot clock.
Having weathered a four-goal storm from No. 3 UNC in the final 15 minutes of the second half that cut its lead to three, No. 4 Maryland was able to hold the ball for the final five minutes. The Terrapins deftly passed among themselves as UNC’s frustrated defenders chased them around the field, unable to force a turnover.
In the end, coach Jenny Levy said, having the ball is what wins games in women’s lacrosse.
“The game is possession,” she said. “If you can’t possess the ball through the draw, then you’re going to struggle to score because you don’t have the ball.”
Though Maryland only won the draw-control battle by two, it came up with six during a critical period in the second half when the Terrapins widened their lead from 5-4 to 13-6.
UNC made a run of its own but lost momentum when Maryland got the ball for what would prove to be the final time.
“At that point, it’s really the draws that make the difference,” senior attacker Becky Lynch said. “I think we only lost one of those draws when we went on that run, and that gives them the opportunity to get the ball on offense and for them to hold it for a little bit.”
And in a game that doesn’t allow checking with the body or the stick, smart teams can hold onto the ball for long periods of time. Where Maryland kept the ball close, the Tar Heels allowed it to stray too freely from their sticks.
The Tar Heels committed nine turnovers to Maryland’s five, and only 14 of their 25 shots were on frame. Those miscues, along with draw concessions, allowed the well-organized Maryland offense ample control of the ball.