No. 6 UNC MLAX opens season with 19-4 win over Furman

Peter Koutroumpis, Triangle Sports Network

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. –  All three starting attackmen registered hat tricks as the sixth-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels opened the 2015 season with a 19-4 victory over the Furman Paladins in front of a crowd of 1,353 at Fetzer Field on Saturday.

Joey Sankey (4 goals, 2 assists), Jimmy Bitter (3 goals, 2 assists) and Luke Goldstock (3 goals, 1 assist) led the Tar Heels offense.

Bitter extended a 15-game scoring streak and has recorded a point in 42 straight contests.

Sankey ran his own successive games scoring streak to 17, while earning a point in his 37th straight game.

Midfielders Duncan Hutchins and Chad Tutton each added two goals while Patrick Kelly and Peyton Klawinski each added a goal.

Goalkeeper Brian Balkam played the first half for UNC (1-0), making six saves and allowing three goals, while Duncan Saunders went the final 30 minutes and made one save while allowing one goal.

Jake Gavin played 39 minutes in goal for Furman (0-1) and made nine saves, while Reilly McDermott came in to play the remainder of the game and finishing with four saves.

The Tar Heels led 6-3 midway through the second quarter before Carolina ran off four goals to end the half leading 10-3.

North Carolina then went up 15-3 with 9:56 left in the third quarter and remained in firm control for the rest of the to earn the season-opening win at home.

North Carolina will host High Point (1-1), recent 16-13 losers to Duke, on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Fetzer Field.