March 11, 2009

Walterhoefer's Record-Setting Day Leads UNC Past Providence
Senior midfielder Shane Walterhoefer tied the school record for ground balls in a game with 15 and won 20 of 23 face-offs, only the fourth time in school history a player has won 20 or more in a game, as the sixth-ranked University of North Carolina men's lacrosse team overcame a sluggish start to defeat Providence College 14-7 Wednesday afternoon at Fetzer Field. Senior attackman Bart Wagner scored three goals, the fifth time in eight games this season he has matched or exceeded that total, and the Tar Heel defense limited the Friars to only two goals, one on an extra-man, in the final 34:38 of the game.

UNC improved to 7-1 overall while Providence fell to 0-4. Next up for the Tar Heels is No. 9-ranked Duke Saturday at 2 p.m. at Kenan Stadium in a game to be nationally televised by ESPNU. The Tar Heels will be seeking to end an 18-game losing streak against Atlantic Coast Conference teams when they face the Blue Devils while at the same time rewarding their first-year head coach, Joe Breschi, with his 100th overall career collegiate coaching victory. The Tar Heels last ACC victory came on April 10, 2004 when Carolina beat Virginia 11-9 at Fetzer Field. Breschi, who coached for 11 seasons at Ohio State before coming to Carolina this season, has a 99-64 overall coaching ledger including his first eight games as Tar Heel head coach. The national telecast on ESPNU will mark the first of four straight Saturday games the Tar Heels will play on the network.

Saturday's match will also be worth one point in the 2008-09 Carlyle Cup competition, the annual all-sports matchup between the two schools. UNC currently leads the standings 11.5 points to 4.5 points in 2008-09. Carolina has won the Cup four times, Duke three times and there has been one tie. The last time UNC won the men's lacrosse point was in the 2003-04 school year.