Sunday, March 19

Chapel Hill, N.C.

11 a.m.

Northwestern

3-5

UNC

8-1

Team	1	2	Final F
Northwestern	6	6	12
North Carolina	7	10	17

Wildcats Come Up Short in Battle with #2 North Carolina

3/19/2017 2:18:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score PDF Box Score Postgame Notes

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Northwestern battle back and forth with second-ranked North Carolina Sunday afternoon at Fetzer Field before the defending champs pulled away to hand the Wildcats a 17-12 loss.

Junior Shelby Fredericks tied the Northwestern single-game record with a career-high 15 draw controls in a contest that possession was key. The Wildcats' ability to win possession helped them battle for 45 minutes, but a change by the Tar Heels in the circle turned the tide.

After trailing 7-6 at halftime, Northwestern quickly tied the game on a free-position goal by sophomore Liza Elder. Senior Danita Stroup scored a free-position goal of her own just 54 seconds later to give the 'Cats the lead, 8-7, but UNC needed just 2:03 to tie the game again.

UNC claimed the lead on a free-position goal with 24:39 to play and junior Nicole Beardsley evened the game with her third score of the season. The back and forth continued with a goal by Marie McCool before Elder tied the game with her second goal of the contest, 10-10. It marked the first time in the young Wildcats' career she had scored two goals in a game.

After the Wildcats tied the game at 10 apiece, UNC chose to replace Sammy Jo Tracy, the nation's leader in draw controls per game, with McCool. The Tar Heels responded by winning the next five draws, which resulted in a 4-0 run to build a 14-10 lead.

Stroup scored her third of the game in a woman-up advantage on a feed from senior Christina Espostio, but UNC once again went on a quick 3-0 run to push the lead to six, 17-11.

Esposito finished with a season-high three assists and team-high four points in extending her career-long point streak to 24 games. Senior Catie Ingrilli matched her career high with a pair of goals and Stroup recorded a hat trick in her second-consecutive game.

Ingrill has scored in all eight games this season and now has a new single-season high with 11 goals.

Freshman Meghan Duffy scored her second career goal in her first career start.

The Wildcats will be back in action on Thursday when they open up conference play at Michigan. The opening draw is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and the game will air on the Big Ten Network.