With a minute left in the first half of what shaped up as a season-defining showdown at No. 5 North Carolina, the two-time defending national champions in college men’s lacrosse looked like a team in the midst of a rebuild.
And then Chris Kavanagh, the Most Outstanding Player of last year’s NCAA Tournament, lit a fire under No. 9 Notre Dame in a stunning rally Saturday at Chapel Hall, N.C.
The Irish finished regular-season ACC play with a 12-6 takedown of the Tar Heels after trailing 4-0 late in the first half and not getting a single shot on goal in the first period. When Kavanagh finally scored for the Irish (7-3, 3-1 ACC) with 53 seconds left before half, it was just ND’s third shot on goal of the day — to North Carolina’s 10 at the time.
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He finished with four goals, including the go-ahead score in the third period to put the Irish up 7-6. That happened to be the second goal in a 7-0 ND run to end the game.
The Irish defense rose to the occasion as well, forcing 19 turnovers and limiting North Carolina (9-3, 2-1) to just eight shots on goal in the final three periods after allowing seven in the first. Nate Schwitzenberg and Shawn Lyght led the defensive charge, and Will Donovan forced three turnovers and scooped up a career-high six ground balls.
Thomas Ricciardelli recorded nine saves for Notre Dame, which likely improved its RPI enough in the eyes of the NCAA Tournament selection committee to now be on a trajectory to host a first-round game.
The Irish finish the regular season with a non-conference home matchup against Penn (4-9) next Saturday, April 26, at 2 p.m. EDT. Admission at Arlotta Stadium is free, and ESPNU has the telecast.
The ACC tournament ensues the following weekend in Charlotte, N.C., with the semifinals on May 2 and the finals on May 4. The NCAA Tournament selection process will also be on May 4.
Thanks to No. 12 Duke's 11-7 upset of No. 4 Syracuse on Saturday, the Irish clinched a tie for the ACC regular-season title with the winner of next Saturday's North Carolina-Syracuse matchup. Should the Tar Heel's prevail, the Irish would be the No. 1 seed on the ACC Tourney.
On Saturday, Jalen Seymour added two goals and an assist as the Irish won their sixth straight in the series with North Carolina and now hold a 14-11 series lead. Devon McLane and Will Maheras had a goal and an assist apiece.
Notre Dame wide receivers Jordan Faison and Matt Jeffery scored a goal each as did Jake Taylor and Ben Ramsey.
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