Feb. 29, 2004

Box Score

FAIRFAX, Va. - Eleventh-ranked North Carolina scored seven unanswered goals to open the contest, and went on to defeat host George Mason 15-6 in women's lacrosse action Sunday afternoon at GMU Stadium. The event marked the season and home opener for the Patriots, who drop to 0-1 on the year. The Tar Heels stay unbeaten and move to 2-0.

UNC freshman midfielder Jess Allen scored her two goals and added two of her three assists in the first period, which saw the Tar Heels open a 7-2 halftime advantage. Junior attacker Allison Higgins netted two of her three goals and posted two assists in the second frame. North Carolina sophomore midfielder Melissa McCarthy also had two goals, while four others had one goal each. Junior attacker Jeannine Ohler (Malvern, PA/Great Valley) led the Patriots with two goals and one assist. Four other players each tallied one goal.

Higgins recorded the first score of the contest at the 6:52 mark. UNC registered six more markers before the Patriots finally got on the board at 28:43 following a free position netter from Ohler. Patriot Junior attacker Tracy Waterson (Niskayuna, NY/Colonie Central) scored the last goal of the stanza 17 seconds later, as UNC headed into halftime ahead, 7-2.

McCarthy and Higgins combined for three goals and two assists in the first 10 minutes of the second stanza, leading the Tar Heels to a 10-2 advantage with 20 minutes left to play. After Mason senior midfielder Lisa Hagan (Collingswood, NJ/Collingswood) struck at 42:36, UNC ran off three more markers inside of four minutes to stake a 13-3 margin with less than 13 minutes remaining. George Mason tallied three netters in the final 10 minutes and UNC would score with no time left on the clock to lift the team to the 15-6 win.

George Mason junior goalkeeper Meg Dentler (Crofton, MD/Arundel) made 17 saves, while North Carolina goalie Katelyn Hoffman stopped 18 shots. The Tar Heels out shot the Patriots, 41-27.

George Mason is idle for the next two weeks before playing again. The team will visit Johns Hopkins on Wednesday, March 17, at 5 p.m.

Line score
No. 11 North Carolina (2-0) - 7-8=15
George Mason (0-1) - 2-4=6