High Point WLAX Drops Season Opener to No. 1 UNC, 16-6

• Senior Samantha Brown and junior Erica Perrotta each tallied two goals
• Sophomore Maggie Williams recorded her first-career goal
• Sophomore Molly Andrews saved 10 shots and picked up a team-high five ground balls

HIGH POINT, N.C.—The High Point University women’s lacrosse team fell to No. 1 North Carolina, 16-6, in its season opener Friday (Feb. 17) at Fetzer Field in Chapel Hill, N.C.

North Carolina (3-0) had a big advantage in draw controls, 20-4, while High Point (0-1) led in ground balls, 24-19.

“Our team showed a lot of grit and battled for 60 minutes,” High Point head coach Lyndsey Boswell said. “The draw hurt our possession time and we made a few mental errors that put us in a hole, but overall we saw some really great things on both sides of the ball. I’m happy to get this first game behind us and prepare for a quick turnaround Sunday (at Elon).”

Senior Samantha Brown and junior Erica Perrotta scored back-to-back goals to give the Panthers a 2-1 lead early in the first half, but the Tar Heels scored eight out of the next nine goals to take a 9-3 lead into halftime. Perrotta scored her second goal half way through the UNC run.

The Purple & White recorded the first two goals of the second half, as junior Darla Poulin scored off a feed from junior Erin Ilchuk and Brown netted her second goal. Sophomore Maggie Williams scored her first-career goal from a free position shot four minutes later to close the scoring for HPU.

Sophomore Molly Andrews (0-1) made 10 saves in net and picked up a team-high five ground balls for the Panthers, while Caylee Waters (3-0) made six saves in the win for UNC.

The Panthers return to action Sunday (Feb. 19) at Elon. First draw is scheduled for 1 p.m.