Pietramala Sets Records as North Carolina Cruises Past UAlbany in NCAA First Round.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Dominic Pietramala delivered a historic performance with 10 goals as third-seeded North Carolina defeated UAlbany 24–6 on Saturday in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. With the win, the Tar Heels advance to the national quarterfinals, where they will meet the winner of No. 6 Syracuse and Yale. North Carolina controlled the game from the opening whistle, quickly building a six-goal advantage in the first quarter. Pietramala set the tone early with a first-quarter hat trick, helping the Tar Heels establish momentum on offense. The second quarter continued in similar fashion, as North Carolina outscored UAlbany 5–1 to take a 12–2 lead into halftime. During the first half, Pietramala also reached a historic milestone, scoring his 129th career goal to surpass Bert Fett’s program record of 128 goals set between 1972 and 1975. The Tar Heels extended their dominance in the third quarter, adding seven more goals to push their lead to 19–4 entering the final period. North Carolina’s offense remained consistent throughout, overwhelming UAlbany’s defense at every level of the field. Early in the fourth quarter, Pietramala scored his 10th goal of the game, breaking both the North Carolina single-game scoring record and the NCAA Tournament single-game record. The Tar Heels closed the game with five additional goals to secure the 24–6 victory. Several other players contributed to the win. Anthony Raio finished with three goals and one assist, while Brevin Wilson added two goals and an assist. Three additional Tar Heels recorded two assists each. Brady Wambach was dominant at the faceoff X, winning 15 draws and collecting 10 ground balls. In goal, Kent Goode made eight saves in his first career start.

North Carolina’s 24 goals set a new NCAA Tournament program record, surpassing its previous mark of 21 set against Michigan State in 1987. The total also ranks among the highest single-game scoring outputs in first-round tournament history. The Tar Heels improved to 36–29 all-time in NCAA Tournament play and advanced to their 27th quarterfinal appearance. Saturday’s victory also marked the program’s first-ever win over UAlbany. Wambach’s performance added another milestone, as he broke the program’s single-season faceoff wins record previously held by Shane Walterhoefer. Additionally, the win marked North Carolina’s eighth home victory of the season, its highest total since 2015.

North Carolina will face either Syracuse or Yale in the NCAA quarterfinals on Saturday, May 16, at James M. Shuart Stadium in Hempstead, New York.