Ashley Humphrey Breaks Assist Record, UNC Beats Princeton

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — An 8-0 run over a 20-minute first-half stretch put North Carolina firmly in control on Thursday, as the top-seeded Tar Heels cruised to a 19-10 win over Princeton to advance to the NCAA semifinals for the 14th time in program history.

Ashley Humphrey powered the Tar Heels with a two-goal, five-assist night to break Kylie Ohlmiller’s Division I career assists record and was one of six Tar Heels to contribute multi-goal efforts.

North Carolina struck first with 10:42 to play in the opening frame, as Kaleigh Harden spun away her defender and fired it past Amelia Hughes for the game’s first tally. Princeton answered on a Sophia Whiteway free-position goal before facing a barrage in the latter stages of the quarter.

Hustle plays leading to second and third opportunities kept the field tilted — as did the majority of Carolina’s 15 first-quarter shot attempts that eventually resulted in goals from Eliza Osburn and Marissa White in the final minute of the stanza.

“Even if we weren’t finishing our chances — the goalie played great — we were getting the 50-50 balls,” Harden said. “We’ve really worked on that throughout the season, and we want to do that every single game.”

Hughes made five saves in the opening quarter and the Tar Heels rang three other shots off the post, helping keep the margin at two goals through one quarter. The initial shot of the game by Princeton’s McKenzie Blake also found iron in a metallic start to the contest.

Carolina kept its foot on the gas to open the second quarter, as goals from Chloe Humphrey, White, Kiley Mottice and Caroline Godine extended the advantage to 7-1 at the second-quarter media break. Ashley Humphrey assisted on the Godine goal before tallying one of her own out of the stoppage. Harden followed by adding another, absorbing contact and scoring before falling to the turf to add grass stains to her white-and-Carolina-blue uniform and a ninth Tar Heel goal to the board.

Jami MacDonald snapped the drought of just shy of 20 minutes with a Princeton goal in the final minute of the half, and the Tigers grabbed one more possession, but Betty Nelson turned away an opportunity prior to the horn.

Ashley Humphrey factored into each of the first two Carolina goals after the break with a record-breaking contribution to the latter, finding Godine for her 247th career assist and surpassing Ohlmiller for the all-time mark.

“Assists are just passes until they get put in the back of the net,” Humphrey said. “I’ve been really lucky to have great finishers around me and being surrounded by such great players, especially at a place like Carolina, has been a dream come true. I’m happy, and I’m happy with this team.”

Princeton responded with the next two and eventually got back within seven at 14-7, which matched the closest the Tigers would come the rest of the night. MacDonald (4) and Blake (3) combined for seven of Princeton’s goals. The duo’s efforts earned the Tigers their first pair of 90-point scorers in a single season in program history.

North Carolina held a commanding 51-29 shot advantage with 35 Tar Heel attempts on target. Hughes made a season-high 16 saves for Princeton, while Nelson turned aside nine shots for Carolina. Osburn scored three of her team-high four goals for the Tar Heels after halftime.

“Our middies made a lot of really hard, great plays, whether it’s off the draw, or back checking,” North Carolina head coach Jenny Levy said. “Those guys are all dogs, and they work so hard on the field. Then the defense steps up and starts doing their thing. The defense anchors the moments you’re getting into games and trying to feel out the fabric of what you’re playing against.”

The Tar Heels advance to play No. 4 seed Florida in Friday’s semifinal action at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Princeton concludes the year at 16-4 as one of three Ivy League programs to make quarterfinal appearances.

North Carolina will make a trip to championship weekend for the first time since 2022, a season that ended 22-0 with a trophy hoisted at Homewood Field. For Tar Heels making their first semifinal appearance, the anticipation of Friday is already bubbling.

“I’ve been to final four games when I was younger,” Harden said. “It’s something that you dream of. You want to be there. I’m excited to play on that stage. It’s going to be really fun.”