Carolina repeats as ACC women’s lacrosse champions

U.N.C. women's lacrosse team posing for a team photo on the field following their ACC championship victory. — The victory over the Cardinal gave Carolina its ninth ACC championship. (Jeffrey A. Camarati/GoHeels)

The No. 1 Carolina women’s lacrosse team won its second consecutive ACC Tournament title by defeating No. 11 Stanford, 12-8, on Sunday in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Heels followed their regular-season title with their ninth ACC Tournament championship.

Carolina had five players selected to the All-Tournament team. Chloe Humphrey, who was also named the tournament’s most outstanding player, Kate Levy, Sarah Gresham, Kaleigh Harden and Addison Pattillo were all recognized.

Carolina fell behind early 2-0 but stormed back to take an 8-5 lead at halftime. The game became choppy between reviews and stoppages, but the Tar Heel defense stepped up in the second half and made it very difficult on Stanford to get good looks.

Humphrey led the way on offense with four goals and two assists. Levy and Pattillo added hat tricks for the Tar Heels.

The Tar Heels controlled the draw again, gaining possession 13 times out of 20. Stanford outshot Carolina, but the Tar Heels put more shots on target with 20.

How It happened

Stanford jumped out to a two-goal lead three minutes into the game.
Pattillo netted her first of the game off a feed from Kiley Mottice to make it 2-1.
Humphrey scored her first of the day on a laser from the left side to even things up.
Pattillo scored her second on a free position to give the Tar Heels the lead, 3-2.
Eva Ingrilli slipped in from behind the net and Humphrey found her for a bouncer to beat the keeper.
Levy scored her first of the game, dodging through the zone to fire home.
Humphrey scored her second on an assist from Ingrilli to give the Heels a 6-4 lead.
Humphrey fired a laser on a free position to bag her hat trick. It was her 91st of the season, breaking her previous single-season record.
Pattillo secured her hat trick on a rocket from the crease to give Carolina an 8-4 lead.
Carolina led at the break 8-5.
Levy opened the second-half scoring on a free position where she paused for a beat, then exploded to cage.
Eliza Osburn weaved through the Stanford defense and buried one in the top left corner to extend the Carolina lead to five goals, 10-5.
Humphrey slid past the defense and fired home on an assist from Pattillo to make it 11-5.
Levy secured her hat trick with a bouncer to beat the keeper and stop a three-goal Stanford run to make it 12-8, Carolina.

Tar Heel tidbits

Carolina won its ninth ACC championship, having won the title in 2002, ’16, ’17, ’18, ’19, ’21, ’22 and ’25.
Carolina is now-5-0 all-time against Stanford.
With four goals, Chloe Humphrey set a new Carolina single-season record for goals with 92, breaking her old mark of 90 from last season.
Humphrey posted the 34th hat trick of her career.
Pattillo posted the 13th hat trick of her career.
Levy tallied the fourth hat trick of her career.