SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The No. 1 Fighting Irish extended their winning streak to seven games on Saturday, posting an emphatic 14-6 win over UNC in the home regular-season finale at Arlotta Stadium. The win also improves Notre Dame to 3-0 in ACC play and gives the Irish at least a share of the regular-season title.
The Irish attack was paced by the usual suspects in the Kavanagh brothers, as Pat led the team in points with six off two goals and four assists while his brother Chris added five from three goals and two assists. Devon McLane also registered a hat trick with three goals while six other players scored one goal.
At the other end Liam Entenmann was masterful in net, making 12 saves while only allowing six goals. The Notre Dame defense was disruptive as well, causing 10 turnovers in the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
For just the second time this season, the Irish trailed after the opening 15 minutes of action as the visitors held a 3-2 lead. McLane and Pat Kavanagh scored the two goals for Notre Dame in the first frame.
The Notre Dame midfield came alive in the second quarter, as Jordan Faison and Will Angrick scored the first two goals of the quarter to put the Irish on top at 4-3 midway through the stanza. After a Tar Heel goal leveled the score at 4-4 Pat Kavanagh scored his second of the day off a beautiful backhand finish as he wrapped around the crease to give the Blue and Gold a 5-4 advantage at the break.
The Irish came out of the halftime intermission on a heater on both ends of the field and outscored North Carolina 6-0 in the quarter to take a commanding 11-4 lead into the fourth. McLane and Chris Kavanagh each scored twice in the third along with goals from Bryce Walker and Reilly Gray to give Notre Dame complete control.
The Tar Heels managed to trim the Irish lead to five at 11-6 with 10 minutes remaining in the game but the Irish answered with goals from Eric Dobson, Chris Kavanagh and Jeffery Ricciardelli to put the exclamation mark on the 14-6 victory.
NOTRE DAME NOTES
- The Irish clinched at least a share of the ACC regular-season title for the fourth time in program history.
- Notre Dame improves to 13-11 against UNC in the all-time series and have now won four straight over the Tar Heels.
- With just six goals allowed, the Irish have limited UNC to single digit goal outputs in each of the last four meetings.
- The Irish attack has finished in double-figures for goals in every game this season.
- Notre Dame’s seven game win streak is the longest in a season since winning 10 consecutive games during the 2012 season.
- Entenmann, the program’s all-time leading saves leader, now has 658 saves.
- Chris Kavanagh registered his fifth hat trick of the season and 17th of his career.
- With three goals McLane now has three hat tricks on the season.
- With six points, Pat Kavanagh is now just three points shy of tying and four from becoming Notre Dame’s all-time career points leader. The grad student has 270 career points.
UP NEXT
The Irish wrap up the regular season on the road, taking on No. 4 Virginia in Charlottesville at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 27. The game will air on ESPNU.
— ND —