Thursday, March 27
Evanston, Ill.
7 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
North Carolina
No. 3 Northwestern Set for Prime-Time Battle Against No. 2 UNC
3/26/2025 3:02:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
EVANSTON, Ill. — No. 3 Northwestern (8-1, 2-0) is set for a top-three showdown against No. 2 North Carolina (9-0, 5-0) on Thursday, March 27, at 7 p.m. CT in Ryan Fieldhouse. The matchup will air on Big Ten Network, with Dean Linke and Abby Bosco on the call.
Defensively, Northwestern ranks sixth in the NCAA in caused turnovers per game (12.10) and second in ground balls per game (20.3). Sixth-year defender Jane Hansen has been a key contributor, ranking 18th nationally in caused turnovers per game (2.20). Over the past four games, Hansen has totaled 14 caused turnovers and 11 ground balls. First-year standout Mary Carroll earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors after a career-best four caused turnovers and three ground balls in the win over Maryland.
Northwestern and North Carolina are tied 13-13 in their all-time series. The Wildcats defeated the Tar Heels on the road last season, led by Izzy Scane's seven-goal performance and Madison Taylor's three goals and an assist. Sam Smith dominated the draw with a career-high 14 draw controls. The Wildcats claimed a statement 13-9 victory over the then-No. 1 Tar Heels in 2023 in Ryan Fieldhouse, snapping UNC's 47-game regular-season winning streak. Prior to that, Northwestern had not beaten North Carolina since 2014.
Opening draw is set for 7 p.m. CT on Thursday, with the game airing live on Big Ten Network. Tickets for the matchup at Ryan Fieldhouse can be purchased here.
The Wildcats enter the matchup following a dominant 16-4 victory over No. 4 Maryland, marking their first top-five win of the season. Northwestern's defense stifled the Terrapins, forcing 15 caused turnovers and holding them to their lowest goal total in series history since 1985. Seven Wildcats found the back of the net, with Niki Miles, Riley Campbell and Sam Smith each recording hat tricks. Madison Taylor notched 2 goals and 3 assists in Saturday's matchup. Taylor continues her dominance on the leaderboard, ranking first in goals per game with 4.9 and ranks second in the NCAA in both points (69) and goals (49).All new State of the Lake Show!
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) March 26, 2025
Kelly and Emerson Bohlig preview our matchups this week against UNC Thursday night, and at USC this Sunday.
Watch here: https://t.co/Fak0jeaG3j pic.twitter.com/HqSKTBYYHY
Defensively, Northwestern ranks sixth in the NCAA in caused turnovers per game (12.10) and second in ground balls per game (20.3). Sixth-year defender Jane Hansen has been a key contributor, ranking 18th nationally in caused turnovers per game (2.20). Over the past four games, Hansen has totaled 14 caused turnovers and 11 ground balls. First-year standout Mary Carroll earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors after a career-best four caused turnovers and three ground balls in the win over Maryland.
North Carolina enters the matchup undefeated at 9-0, with signature wins over No. 5 Florida (14-9) and No. 4 Syracuse (16-8). Northwestern also faced Syracuse earlier this season, securing a 12-8 victory. UNC boasts one of the nation's top defenses, led by goalkeeper Betty Nelson, who leads the country in goals against average (6.21) and ranks third in save percentage (.554). Offensively, Chloe Humphrey is fifth in the NCAA in goals per game (4.44), while her sister, Ashley Humphrey, leads the nation in assists per game (4.22).Pop off Mary! @B1GLacrosse
— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) March 25, 2025
First-year defender Mary Carroll has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week! pic.twitter.com/4ZedLar6J7
Northwestern and North Carolina are tied 13-13 in their all-time series. The Wildcats defeated the Tar Heels on the road last season, led by Izzy Scane's seven-goal performance and Madison Taylor's three goals and an assist. Sam Smith dominated the draw with a career-high 14 draw controls. The Wildcats claimed a statement 13-9 victory over the then-No. 1 Tar Heels in 2023 in Ryan Fieldhouse, snapping UNC's 47-game regular-season winning streak. Prior to that, Northwestern had not beaten North Carolina since 2014.
Opening draw is set for 7 p.m. CT on Thursday, with the game airing live on Big Ten Network. Tickets for the matchup at Ryan Fieldhouse can be purchased here.
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