CHAPEL HILL – The University of North Carolina women's lacrosse team scored four consecutive goals early in the second half to seize control of a close game and held on to defeat Loyola, 13-9, in the 2008 season opener for both schools on Friday night at Fetzer Field. UNC improved to 1-0 this season with the win while Loyola fell to 0-1.

Chelsea Parks led the Tar Heels with four goals and one assist while Megan Bosica had three goals and two assists. Erica LaGrow and Corey Donohoe both also scored three goals for Carolina. Grace Gavin led the Greyhounds with three goals and an assist.

Carolina led, 7-5, at halftime before Loyola's Abby Rehfuss scored at the 27:33 mark of the second half to make it 7-6 UNC. The Tar Heels responded with four consecutive goals, three of which were unassisted goals by Bosica, to open up an 11-6 lead. Donohoe scored the other goal during the decisive run. The two teams traded goals the rest of the way on the way to a 13-9 UNC win.

The Greyhounds jumped out to a quick, 1-0, lead in the first half just 12 seconds into the game when Kate Filippelli took the draw control, raced down the field and sliced through the Tar Heel defense for a goal. Carolina's LaGrow evened the scored less than a minute later with a goal at 29:05 off an assist from Julia Ryan. Donohoe scored a minute and a half later to make it 2-1 Carolina, and LaGrow and Parks scored back-to-back goals to put the Tar Heels up 4-1.

Loyola responded with three consecutive goals, two by Gavin and one by Mary Heneberry, to tie the score at 4-4 with just over 10 minutes left in the opening half. Donohoe then scored off a Parks assist to make it 5-4 UNC before Elizabeth Weber tied it at five-all on an unassisted score with 2:13 left in the half. LaGrow and Parks each scored goals in the final 30 seconds to give UNC its 7-5 lead at the break.

The Tar Heels will return to action on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. when they host Denver University.

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Grace Gavin scored three goals and had an assist in her first collegiate game, but Loyola lost its season-opener, 13-9, at North Carolina on Friday night.

Loyola (0-1) stayed goal-for-goal with the Tar Heels (1-0) in the first 28 minutes, as Elizabeth Weber tied the score at 5-5 with an unassisted goal 2:13 before halftime.

The Tar Heels, however, answered with two quick goals before the break to take a 7-5 lead into the locker room. Erica LaGrow scored with 30 seconds left, then North Carolina took the draw control, and Chelsea Parks found the net off a Megan Bosica assist with 14 ticks remaining.

Abby Rehfuss pulled Loyola within a goal, 7-6, at the 27:33 mark in the second half, but North Carolina scored four unanswered goals, three by Bosica, to go up 11-6 with 17:09.

Caroline Hager scored off Gavin's assist, and Colleen O'Keefe made a free-position shot with 11:56 to pull the Greyhounds within three, 11-8.

Gavin capped her evening with her third goal, coming with just 9:15 remaining, to close North Carolina's advantage to 11-9.

Parks, however, scored twice in the final 2:57, the last coming at the final whistle, to provide the final difference.

Parks finished with four goals, and Bosica, LaGrow and Corey Donohoe each added three for the Tar Heels. Amanda Barnes made nine saves in goal.

Loyola went ahead, 1-0, as Kate Filippelli won the opening draw and raced to goal, scoring just 12 seconds into the season.

LaGrow, however, answered 43 second later to tie the game. Donohoe, LaGrow and Parks each scored before Gavin broke through at the 18:37 mark.

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2008-02-16