Notre Dame tops UNC in dramatic fashion

NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- A flurry of activity in the final minutes of regulation ended with the top-ranked University of Notre Dame men's lacrosse team claiming a 15-14 win over No. 2 North Carolina on Saturday afternoon in front of a capacity and record crowd of 4,522 at Arlotta Stadium.

The victory clinched the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title for the Fighting Irish, who have won six straight games all against ranked foes. Notre Dame will face Duke Friday in the semifinals of the ACC Championship at PPL Park in Chester, Pennsylvania. Faceoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPNU.

Notre Dame (9-1, 4-0 ACC) trailed 14-12 late in Saturday's contest when Irish junior attackman Matt Kavanagh raced towards the goal and was shoved by North Carolina's Evan Connell resulting in a two-minute non-releasable penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The Fighting Irish took full advantage by netting three goals in the final 1:15 of the game. Kavanagh scored the first tally of the run and Sergio Perkovic knotted the game, 14-14, with 33 seconds remaining. Kavanagh completed his four-goal performance when he deposited the game winner with seven seconds showing on the clock. Jim Marlatt assisted on each of the final three goals.