Graduation Issue 2021 The line that “the journey is the destination” is easy to overuse. You hear it plenty of times in sports it’s not about the fact that you lost on a goalkeeper penalty in the Europa League Final, or had your buzzer-beater out-buzzer-beatered in the national championship game. (They still hurt.) It’s.
Thu May 27 2021 | Ella Brockway | College
PHOTO BY JEFFREY A. CAMARATI / UNC ATHLETICS
Kayla Wood’s caused turnover for North Carolina near the end of its quarterfinal game against Stony Brook on Saturday was arguably her most timely play of the season.
The senior has stepped up for the Tar Heels throughout their 20-0 campaign five ground balls and four draw controls across their two ACC tournament games, even a first career assist against Virginia in April but this one came during the year’s most pivotal moment yet.
With her team up only one goal with less than four minutes left, Wood knocked down a Seawolves pass just shy of midfield. Caitlyn Wurzburger scooped up the ground ball. About a minute later, Ally Mastroianni scored on a free-position shot to give North Carolina a two-goal lead that would help seal its spot in the Final Four.
Sat May 22 2021 | Kenny DeJohn | College
PHOTO BY JEFFREY A. CAMARATI / UNC ATHLETICS
Jamie Ortega had four goals and three assists, leading North Carolina in its 14-11 come-from-behind win over Stony Brook.
Jamie Ortega started speaking during Saturday’s postgame press conference via Zoom unknowingly on mute.
Like the North Carolina offense, which was muted in the first half before coming alive in crunch time, Ortega flipped the switch and got things going.
Eighth-seeded Stony Brook blitzed the top-seeded Tar Heels in the first seven minutes, starting the NCAA quarterfinal with three goals. UNC awakened and went blow-for-blow with Stony Brook until another offensive lull in the second half that allowed the Seawolves to take a two-goal lead with 11:18 to play.