Third Quarter Surge By Syracuse Propels Orange By Tar Heels

Saturday, April 13

Chapel Hill, N.C.

3 p.m.

North Carolina

7-5,ACC 1-2

Syracuse

8-3,ACC 2-2

Syracuse

North Carolina

2019 UNC Senior Class

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

April 13, 2019 | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score UNC vs. Syracuse Box Score UNC vs. Syracuse Play by Play Coach Breschi Post Game (mp3)

Solomon, Anderson, Kelly each score twice for UNC

By: Dave Lohse

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Syracuse outscored North Carolina 4-0 in the third quarter, breaking a 7-7 halftime tie and surging past North Carolina in men's lacrosse action Saturday afternoon before 2,547 fans at UNC Lacrosse Stadium by a final score of 12-9.

It was Senior Day at UNC Lacrosse Stadium for 13 Tar Heels who played their final regular season game in Chapel Hill. UNC will host the first round and semifinals of the 2019 ACC Lacrosse Tournament at UNC Lacrosse Stadium on April 27 and 29 so those players will be playing another game, a post-season one, at the stadium.

Syracuse scored the opening two goals of the game before the Tar Heels went on a six-goal scoring run to take a 6-2 lead with 1:07 elapsed in the second quarter. But the Orange charged back with four straight goals of its own to erase the 6-2 lead and tie the game up at 6-6 with 6:13 left in the first half.

Justin Anderson and Stephen Rehfuss traded goals before intermission as the teams went to halftime at 7-7.

Syracuse took the game over in the third quarter at it outshot the Tar Heels 12-5 and outscored them 4-0 in the period. Syracuse had four different goal scorers in the third quarter and Nate Solomon's goal on a fast break with one second left in the period gave SU an 11-7 lead.

Solomon scored again with 9:55 to play in the final period to give the Orange its biggest lead of the game at 12-7. SU outscored UNC 10-1 over a span from 12:30 left in the second quarter to 9:55 left in the final period and that proved to be the difference in the contest. Alex Trippi and William Perry finished off the scoring for UNC but UNC got no closer than three goals at the finish.

Syracuse had three multiple goal scorers with Nate Solomon tallying three times and Stephen Rehfuss and Jacob Buttermore each scoring twice. Rehfuss and Solomon also had assists. Bradley Voigt had a goal and two assists for Syracuse.

Nicky Solomon led Carolina with two goals and an assist while Justin Anderson and William Perry each scored twice for the Tar Heels. Senior Andy Matthews had two assists for UNC in his senior day appearance. Fellow senior Timmy Kelly had a goal and an assist for Carolina.

Syracuse improved to 8-3 overall and 2-2 in the ACC with the win. North Carolina is now 7-5 overall and 1-2 in the ACC. The Tar Heels finish their regular season next Saturday at Notre Dame at 12 noon in a game to be nationally televised on ESPNU.

Syracuse outshot the Tar Heels 40-34 in the game and had a 40-32 edge in ground balls and a 15-9 advantage in the face-off circle. Freshman Caton Johnson made 11 saves for UNC while Drake Porter made 12 saves for the Orange. Danny Varello won 13 of 18 face-offs in the game for the Orange while Ryan O'Connell came off the bench to win five of seven face-offs for Carolina while adding four ground balls. Connor Maher also had four ground balls for Carolina as well. Senior Jack Halpert led Carolina with five ground balls. Varello led the Orange with seven ground balls.

Both teams were turnover prone with North Carolina committing 18 and Syracuse 17. Six of UNC's 18 turnovers came on failed clears.

GAME NOTES

Andy Matthews' had two assists giving him 102 points for his career (32 goals, 70 assists).
Timmy Kelly has points in 17 straight games dating back to March 24, 2018.
Nicky Solomon has scored a goal in each of his 12 games as a freshman.
Timmy Kelly increased his career point total to 99 and his career goal total to 66.