Men’s lacrosse tops Terps in overtime to win national title
Carolina, now 5-1 in NCAA championship games, captured its fifth NCAA title, joining 1981, 1982, 1986 and 1991.
Chris Cloutier scored at the 1:39 mark of overtime off an assist from Michael Tagliaferri to give the North Carolina men’s lacrosse team a 14-13 win over Maryland in the NCAA championship game at Lincoln Financial Field on Monday, May 30. The Tar Heels captured their first national championship since 1991.
Tar Heel goalie Brian Balkam made a big overtime save while the unseeded Tar Heels (12-6) were playing a man down shortly before Cloutier’s game-winner, allowing Carolina to survive a point-blank Terrapin shot attempt that would have won the first NCAA title in over four decades for top-seeded Marylad (17-3).
Carolina captured its fifth NCAA title, joining 1981, 1982, 1986 and 1991. The Tar Heels are now 5-1 in NCAA championship games.
Carolina is the first school to win the men’s and women’s lacrosse NCAA championships in the same year since Princeton in 1994. The UNC women’s team beat Maryland, 13-7, in Sunday’s national title game in Chester, Pa.
Cloutier finished with five goals on seven shots for the Tar Heels. Luke Goldstock scored four goals and Steve Pontrello had two goals and one assist. Brian Cannon scored twice and Patrick Kelly had a goal and two assists. Tagliaferri, William McBride and Timmy Kelly had assists.
Connor Kelly led the Terrapins with four goals, while Matt Rambo had three goals and three assists and Hery West had two goals and four assists.
See also: Turner’s Take: Kick the doors in
For more, see goheels.com