May 23, 2009
By Dave Carey
NCAA.com
Towson,Md. - To play for its first national championship in women's lacrosse, North Carolina had to do something no other team had accomplished this season and it already failed to do once this year: beat Maryland.
The Tar Heels, however, played their most complete game of the season as they stunned the previously unbeaten Terrapins, 8-7, in Friday night's national semifinal at Towson's Johnny Unitas Stadium in front of a NCAA women's lacrosse championship-round record crowd of 7,549.
"We really haven't won pretty," North Carolina coach Jenny Levy said. "But that's OK, that doesn't matter."
The Tar Heels (16-4) kept the pressure on Maryland by never falling behind by more than a goal and forcing the Terrapins' attack away from the front of their net late in the game. Trailing 5-4 on a goal by Maryland freshman Karri Ellen Johnson, the Tar Heels rattled off three straight goals - from Jenn Russell, Corey Donohoe and Megan Bosica - to take a 7-5 lead wth 21:33 left.
Maryland (21-1) responded with scores from Johnson and Sarah Mollison to tie the score with 9:03 remaining, but North Carolina freshman Laura Zimmerman caught the ball on the run and fired a shot past Terrapin goalie Brittany Dipper 41 seconds later.
Zimmerman's goal, her third of the game, capped the scoring as the Tar Heels' tough defense ground out the victory. The Terrapins twice came close to knotting the score - a hit post by Mollison and a crease violation by Caitlyn McFadden that wiped out a tying goal -but couldn't find a way to get the ball into the net.
Zimmerman entered the game with just nine goals on the season.
"You're kind of in the moment and reacting to the players and you just play the way the game unfolds," Zimmerman said. "You play your role and get the job done."
The Terrapins' final offensive possesion ended when Tar Heel defender
Amber Falcone knocked the ball away from Amanda Spinnenweber, scooped it up, and drew a foul, racing the ball toward the offensive end with 1:43 left. North Carolina would run out the clock to end the game and secure the victory.
The seven goals were a season low for Maryland, as the Terrapins scored at least 10 times in each previous game.
"We came out and played hard in the second half but never really got into a groove," McFadden said. "We got the open shots and some looks, but their goalie made some great saves."
Maryland opened the scoring seven minutes and three seconds into the game when Johnson (four goals) freed her left hand in front of the goal and ripped a shot past North Carolina goalie Logan Ripley (seven saves). The Tar Heels, however, responded with a goal by midfielder Megan Bosica 66 seconds later. The first half remained tight throughout, and ended with the score knotted at 4-4.
The Tar Heels advance to Sunday's championship game, where they will face Northwestern (22-0). The Wildcats won an earlier matchup this season between the teams, 12-7.
