The awe-inspiring careers of Ally Kennedy and Taryn Ohlmiller have unfortunately come to an end in the NCAA Quarterfinals, but they both place a mark in Seawolves history.
The Seawolves came into Chapel Hill, riding a 14-game winning streak, the 3rd active streak in the nation behind UNC and Northwestern, the top 2 seeds in the tournament. They prepared for the UNC Tar Heels, who they played early this season to begin their 2021 schedule, as did UNC. The Seawolves fell on February 14th to the Tar Heels 14-7 after giving up the last 5 goals of the game.
Just like the first matchup of the season, the Seawolves took an early lead against UNC but had one more goal this time before the Tar Heels once again came back and overcame an early deficit. Down 3-0, the Tar Heels went on a 6-1 run to end half with back-to-back goals scored within the last two minutes of the first half after Ally Kennedy tied the game at 4.
Once again to begin the second half, Stony Brook started the scoring as both teams scored back-to-back goals. With the Tar Heels up 8-6, Stony Brook went on a 4-0 run to take a 10-8 lead with 11:18 to go on an unassisted goal from Taryn Ohlmiller, who was the only Seawolves’ player to get a hat trick on the day, finishing with 3 goals and 2 assists.
After Ohlmiller scored another unassisted goal to retake a 2-goal lead for SBU with 7:41 to go, Scottie Rose Growney began the 5-0 scoring run for UNC by capturing a goal off Tewaaraton Award finalist Jamie Ortega, who finished the day with a hat trick at 4 goals and 3 assists. The 5-0 run was capped off by a free-position goal from Oretga’s teammate, Katie Hoeg, who picked up her 35th goal of the season and was responsible for 5 assists on the day with the free-position goal as her only goal of the game.
Both goalies for SBU and UNC went neck and neck with saves made as junior Kameron Halsall picked up 7 saves against the Tar Heels while allowing 14 goals and senior and Tewaaraton finalist Taylor Moreno picked up 8 saves and allowed 11 goals.
While Ohlmiller was only Seawolves’ player with a hat trick, Ally Kennedy, Bridget Considine, and Ellie Masera picked up a couple of goals each. Tayler Warehime for UNC joined her teammate Ortega in hat tricks as she picked up 3, one of them to begin the scoring on the day for the Tar Heels.
With the loss, Stony Brook’s season ends at 16-3, 2 of their 3 losses against UNC and the other to Syracuse, both of whom have advanced to the NCAA Final Four. UNC advances to the Final Four as one of the two remaining undefeated teams in the nation along with the Northwestern Wildcats. The Tar Heels, who are the first team this season in the nation to hit the 20-win mark, will face the #4-seed Boston College Golden Eagles, who are coming off a 21-10 victory against the #5-seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish next Friday at noon at the Johnny Unitas Stadium at Towson University.
Zachary Wilson 