When the North Carolina women’s lacrosse team faced off against rival Duke on Friday night, neither side accounted for a variable that played a critical part in UNC’s 4-2 win — the field.
After a humid day, the condensation on Fetzer Field offered a slick surface, tormenting players who opted for lighter cleats, which offer less traction, and the typically high-powered offenses combined for more turnovers than shots.
“It makes it like an ice rink out there,” coach Jenny Levy said. “When you go to cut, when you go to dodge, when you go to play defense, everybody was falling all over.”
Levy credited Duke’s defense for limiting the Tar Heels’ attack, but she believed the slick grass played an integral part in what she called a “clown game” that yielded only six goals — the lowest combined total in the history of the rivalry, which dates back to 1996.
“Offensive players like to feel like they can get their feet in the ground and make a move. It’s like a running back in football, the guy, he wants dig in and go,” Levy said. “Today, you either had to dodge straight, or you had to cut straight for a feed. You couldn’t change direction on it.”
The conditions made attackers tentative near the cage because of worries of turning the ball over, but that hesitancy forced both teams to be creative in finding a competitive edge, perhaps a little too creative in the Blue Devils’ case.
With the game tied at one, the Blue Devils would have taken the lead on a goal from Kerrin Maurer, but junior midfielder Kara Cannizzaro appealed to the referees for a stick check, and the goal was discounted as the stick had developed a pocket, an illegal advantage in women’s lacrosse.
“Our coaches have all the confidence in us and give us the ability to make those calls,” Cannizzaro said.
UNC’s defense held Duke’s attack, which entered the game averaging 12.75 goals, to only two goals and aided Cannizzaro by keeping its eyes on the illegal stick.
