North Carolina

Rapid Recap: No. 3 Northwestern 13, No. 1 North Carolina 9

Published

2 years ago

March 19, 2023

Rapid Recap: No. 3 Northwestern 13, No. 1 North Carolina 9

When the schedule was introduced in December, No. 3 Northwestern actually circled one date on its calendar — March 19 towards No. 1 North Carolina.

After a month of early season motion, that fateful day had lastly arrived.

Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller’s crew welcomed the defending nationwide champions into Ryan Fieldhouse Sunday for a grudge match of final season’s NCAA Event Semifinal. The Wildcats ( 8-1,1-0 Huge Ten) handed the Tar Heels (7-1, 4-0 ACC) their first common season loss in 1,149 days.

Sophomore midfielder Samantha Smith managed the opening draw, permitting NU to unleash three photographs on its first possession. Regardless of fixed offensive stress from the Cats, North Carolina goalkeeper Alecia Nichols maintained the impasse with 4 saves halfway by means of the opening body.

Following 14 minutes of scoreless play, sophomore midfielder Emerson Bohlig beat Nichols on an unassisted rating to interrupt the stalemate. Graduate pupil Hailey Rhatigan then drew a free place shot and fired her signature lefty riser into the highest proper nook, settling a 2-0 NU lead.

Graduate pupil midfielder Elle Hansen opened the second interval with a robust conversion from the eight meter, however Tar Heel attacker Caroline Godine answered 40 seconds later, tightening the margin to 3-1.

Simply when the Cats wanted a spark, graduate pupil attacker Izzy Scane fended off tight marking to tally her first objective of the afternoon. Simply 33 seconds later, Scane struck once more from an almost inconceivable angle, handing NU a 5-1 benefit.

Senior attacker Erin Coykendall received in on the enjoyable as properly, sidearming a deadly rating with 8:55 remaining within the second quarter. Godine responded two minutes later.

Each squads then traded objectives, as Scane accomplished her hat trick earlier than North Carolina midfielder Alyssa Lengthy scored on the different finish.

Nearing the 4 minute mark, Scane heaved a prayer towards her attacking ally Coykendall. From there, the senior rose as much as seize the lofted move and sank a wide ranging behind the again end. Tar Heel attacker Marrisa White closed the primary half scoring tally from level clean vary, and the Cats held an 8-4 halftime edge.

Rhatigan dominated the run of play after the intermission, notching consecutive scores to achieve a hat trick and hand NU a six-goal lead.

Nonetheless, North Carolina then seized momentum. The Tar Heels held the Cats scoreless for the ultimate 9:43 of the third interval, tallying consecutive scores to settle a 10-6 NU lead with quarter-hour to play.

The Tar Heels drew first blood within the remaining body, as attackers Reilly Casey and Kiley Mottice every discovered the online to slash the deficit to 2 objectives practically two minutes in.

Whereas it appeared that historical past was doomed to repeat itself, Scane and senior attacker Dylan Amonte nullified the North Carolina advance with a pair of highly effective scores.

Freshman midfielder Madison Taylor and Godine traded the matchup’s remaining two tallies, and the Cats held on to snap the Tar Heels’ 47-game common season win streak in a 13-9 win.

Right here’s three takeaways from NU’s dwelling victory over North Carolina.

Takeaways:

1. Defenses reign supreme early

Two of the nation’s elite offenses lined up on reverse ends of the turf —most anticipated an offensive barnburner.

But, it was the defenses that stole the present, as neither facet discovered any room to run and gun early. Regardless of Tar Heel defender Brooklyn Walker-Welch lacking Sunday’s contest due to damage, North Carolina was in a position to sustain with the Cats for many of the match.

Whereas the Cats discovered loads of early appears to be like, Nichols placed on a clinic between the pipes. North Carolina prevented Scane from settling into the competition, face guarding and double teaming the Tewaraaton frontrunner at each flip.

Junior midfielder Kendall Halpern and sophomore midfielder and defender Samantha White spearheaded a stingy NU protection. They held the highflying North Carolina offense in test all through the primary body, closing off capturing home windows and forcing a flurry of turnovers.

Bohling and Rhatigan broke open the competition within the interval’s remaining minute, however few would’ve anticipated a two-tally first body.

2. Draw controls essential to the Cats’ first half show

The Tar Heels satisfaction themselves on dominating draw controls. Video games will be received and misplaced within the draw circle, and the primary half-hour of motion was largely settled at midfield.

Amonte Hiller’s draw staff proved particularly efficient within the first quarter, profitable the draw on all three events.

The 9-2 second interval draw benefit fueled NU’s offensive exploits. Led by Smith’s dominant efficiency contained in the draw circle, the Cats maintained possession for the majority of the interval and constructed an 8-4 halftime lead.

3. Scane and Rhatigan rally a gutsy victory

NU constructed its seven-goal semifinal lead final yr on the again of attacker Lauren Gilbert and midfielder Jill Girardi, who mixed for eight scores.

With the excessive scoring duo graduated out of this system, the Cats wanted different scorers to step up of their stead Sunday.

Enter Scane and Rhatigan.

Scane missed the earlier matchup with a torn ACL, and Rhatigan donned the Mercer black and orange at the moment.

The pair supplied a deadly mixture of velocity and energy that the Tar Heels may solely hope to maintain quiet.

Rhatigan’s final minute objective within the first quarter sparked an NU scoring frenzy. Her and Scane would every tally three-plus objectives and construct an insurmountable margin.

E-mail: [email protected]
Twitter: @jakeepste1n

Associated Tales:
— Speedy Recap: No. 3 Northwestern 16, No. 17 Michigan 8
— Speedy Recap: No. 3 Northwestern 13, No. 4 Stony Brook 8
— Lacrosse: What To Watch For: No. 3 Northwestern prepares to defend dwelling turf towards No. 4 Stony Brook

Source link

North Carolina

Key Ole Miss Transfer Target Thaddeus Dixon Chooses North Carolina Over Rebels

Published

7 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Press Room

Key Ole Miss Transfer Target Thaddeus Dixon Chooses North Carolina Over Rebels

The Ole Miss Rebels have made strong moves in the transfer portal this offseason, but the program missed out on a key contributor on Saturday when cornerback Thaddeus Dixon pledged to the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Ole Miss was in the race late for Dixon, but a deciding factor in his decision to join the Tar Heels may have boiled down to Carolina’s hiring of former Washington assistant Armond Hawkins as defensive backs coach. Dixon is a transfer from the Washington Huskies, so familiarity in his new home likely played a role.

BREAKING: Washinton transfer CB Thaddeus Dixon has committed to North Carolina, @Hayesfawcett3 reports🐏https://t.co/pcXs7hjbOS pic.twitter.com/6g5D02NC7V
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal_) January 18, 2025

READ MORE: Will Ole Miss QB Austin Simmons Continue Playing Baseball in 2025?

So, where do the Rebels go from here? Ole Miss has already gained some key pieces in its secondary out of the transfer portal (including CB Jaylon Braxton of Arkansas), but Lane Kiffin’s team will probably still be seeking some help in the defensive backfield as the transfer portal continues to move.

According to On3’s current transfer portal class rankings, Ole Miss has the third-best haul in the country, behind Texas Tech and Missouri. The Rebels have seen 23 players transfer into the program so far this offseason, and that number could continue to grow between now and kickoff of the 2025 season.

Ole Miss opens its 2025 campaign on Aug. 30 at home against Georgia State.

Ole Miss To Host Former Penn State WR Trey Wallace

Ole Miss Rebels DT Jamarious Brown Named Freshman All-American

Ole Miss Lands Former Louisville QB Pierce Clarkson Via Transfer Portal

Former Ole Miss Football Superstar AJ Brown Named AP All-Pro Second Team

The Pete Golding Effect: How Ole Miss Football Will Reload Defensively in 2025

Source link

North Carolina

Thaddeus Dixon Joins in Husky Exodus to North Carolina

Published

14 hours ago

January 18, 2025

Press Room

Thaddeus Dixon Joins in Husky Exodus to North Carolina

In a postseason recruitment that was raw and revealing at times, where decorated cornerback Thaddeus Dixon suggested in social media postings that University of Washington football fans wanted him to come back more than the coaches, apparently received all the assurances he needed at North Carolina.

On Saturday, the senior defensive back from Long Beach, California, told On3 he would join the Tar Heels for his final season of college football, adding to a growing list of one-time UW players and coaches headed to Chapel Hill.

So far, the departing group includes linebacker Khmori House, safety Peyton Waters, wide receiver Jason Robinson Jr., defensive coordinator Steve Belichick and defensive analyst Armond Hawkins, all moving from Montlake to the ACC.

The 6-foot-1, 187-pound Dixon would have given the Huskies three highly accredited corners, joining fellow UW starter Ephesians Prysock and Arizona transfer Tacario Davis, to fill out a secondary that could have had few equals this coming season, and still might.

BREAKING: Washington star transfer CB Thaddeus Dixon has Committed to North Carolina, he tells @on3sports
The 6’1 195 CB totaled 69 Tackles, 16 PD, 1 FF, & 2 INT in 2 seasons with the Huskies
Ranked as a Top 10 Player in the Portal (No. 2 CB) per On3https://t.co/RlUbB6EMhS pic.twitter.com/bePHJU7wP7
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 18, 2025

Dixon reportedly took recruiting visits to Mississippi and North Carolina, and fielded overtures from Michigan, before settling on the Tar Heels.

The disconnect for Dixon appeared to show up when the Huskies landed a portal commitment from the 6-foot-4, 190-pound Davis, a second-team All-Big 12 pick this past season, presumably to take his vacated spot.

The 6-foot-4, 193-pound Prysock and Davis teamed together at Arizona in 2023, with both earning All-Pac-12 honorable-mention accolades.

Dixon originally was supposed to run out of college eligibility when the season ended, hence the Huskies went looking for cornerback help, but the NCAA gave the veteran an extra year when it changed the rules governing players with junior-college backgrounds. He came to the UW from Long Beach Community College.

One of the Huskies’ top individual success stories this past season, Dixon went from a back-up player in 2023 to unseat returning starter Elijah Jackson, who opened all 15 games for the national runner-up team.

Thaddeus Dixon soaks up the moment after an Apple Cup interception. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Moving into the lineup, Dixon started 12 of 13 games and received All-Big Ten honorable-mention honors for Jedd Fisch’s coaching staff. He had a team-best 10 pass break-ups, an Apple Cup interception and several textbook tackles in the open field. He’s easily made himself into an NFL prospect.

With three accomplished cornerbacks, the Huskies could have picked two starters and put the odd man out at nickelback.

Dixon clearly wasn’t going to go that route at the UW, likely figuring his past performance should have provided him with more cornerback guarantees.

For the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington

Source link

North Carolina

Bill Belichick's girlfriend seemingly shuts down rumors coach will leave North Carolina for NFL

Published

22 hours ago

January 18, 2025

Press Room

Bill Belichick's girlfriend seemingly shuts down rumors coach will leave North Carolina for NFL

Bill Belichick’s girlfriend on Thursday seemingly shut down any talk of her boyfriend leaving the North Carolina Tar Heels football program for a job in the NFL.

Jordon Hudson responded to rumors that suggested Belichick had one foot out the door when it came to his Tar Heels gig. Belichick had been rumored to be interest in coaching the Dallas Cowboys, but the head coaching job wasn’t open until he had already committed to North Carolina. CBS Sports reported that Belichick didn’t sign his contract with the school.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Oct. 26, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey: Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and girlfriend Jordon Hudson enter the field before the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Navy Midshipmen at MetLife Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images)

She posted a photo on her Instagram showing the two posing with a football and Belichick dressed in Carolina blue.

“Pictured: two people who are overtly committed to @uncfootball,” she wrote as the caption.

Michael Lombardi, who is the general manager of the North Carolina football program, also threw cold water on the rumors of Belichick jumping back to the pros.

EX-NFL COACH JON GRUDEN RIPS STATE OF COLLEGE SPORTS

Dec. 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, NC: Jordon Hudson, the girlfriend of Bill Belichick, in attendance at Loudermilk Center for Excellence. (Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images)

“Bill is recruiting in DC today, and Baltimore tomorrow. His focus is on North Carolina football, hiring staff members and developing the team. The NFL isnt a option so please stop making it one. Thank you,” he wrote on X in response to the CBS Sports report.

“The reception towards UNC and Coach Belichick has been amazing from every school we visit. We are going to fight to keep North Carolina players here and bring the best to Chapel Hill,” he added.

Belichick was hired as the Tar Heels’ coach in December. He called the job a “dream come true.”

Bill Belichick fields questions from media

The North Carolina Tar Heels’ new head coach Bill Belichick speaks to the media at Loudermilk Center for Excellence. (Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“I’ve always wanted to coach in college football,” Belichick said in his introductory press conference. “It just never really worked out. Had some good years in the NFL, so that was OK. But this is really a dream come true.”

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.