On Saturday afternoon, the No. 16 North Carolina men’s lacrosse team saw its three-game win streak snapped by No. 4 Maryland in a 16-9 loss in College Park, Md.
What happened?
The Tar Heels (6-3) got off to a promising start against the Terrapins (8-1), scoring the first goal of the day just 76 seconds into the game. However, Maryland remained unfazed after that early score, responding with an 8-1 scoring run.
The Terrapins went into the half with an 11-3 lead. Head coach Joe Breschi attributed the first-half deficit to some nerves before such a powerhouse matchup.
“I think some of our young guys played like freshmen in a big road game,” Breschi said. “But we’re growing up, and at the end of the day, this is an opportunity to learn.”
UNC was able to settle those nerves after halftime and play like the top-20 team that they are in the third and fourth quarters. The Tar Heels outscored Maryland in the second half, 6-5, led by senior attackman Timmy Kelly, who had four of the nine goals for North Carolina.
Still, a stronger second half wasn't enough to overcome the Terrapins, leading to the Tar Heels' first road loss of the season.
Who stood out?
Kelly was the standout performer for UNC, as he tied his career high for goals in a game with four, three of which came in the second half. Those four goals moved Kelly up to 62 goals for his career at North Carolina.