One team was playing its third game while the other was playing its first. On Sunday afternoon, what one might think would be an obvious advantage given a 10-plus month layoff due to COVID-19 was a non-factor.

No. 6 North Carolina, in its first game of the season, was relentless. The Tar Heel ride was vigorous, forcing visiting No. 7 Denver, playing its third game this spring and second game of the weekend, into 15 turnovers. Even when it cleared successfully, Denver was left scrambling to regroup and settle down the offense.

The UNC defense was smothering throughout, as Denver converted on just 13 of its 42 shots. The Tar Heels opened their 2021 season with a 24-13 win, though the blowout was greater than the final score indicated.

Chris Gray led all scorers with six goals and one assist. Nicky Solomon, Jacob Kelly and Ryan O’Connell each posted hat tricks. William Perry and Alex Trippi had three assists apiece. Overall, 10 different Tar Heels scored, and 15 of the team’s goals were assisted.

Jack Hannah led Denver (1-2) with four goals and one assist after shooting 0-for-9 in a 12-10 loss to top-ranked Duke on Friday afternoon.

It was a 21-6 UNC lead after three quarters Sunday, and everything — literally everything — was going UNC’s way. Long pole Will Bowen dished out a no-look, cross-field assist. Quick flicks off conveniently placed rebounds were finding the back of the net. Gray was scoring BTBs. Oh, and Gray did this.

It’s all going UNC’s way.

No, literally. pic.twitter.com/puWcXaJTvl

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) February 7, 2021

“The ACC is off and running in 2021,” ESPN play-by-play host Chris Cotter said as Joe Breschi adjusted his neck gaiter and celebrated with players and coaches on the sideline.

With Duke showcasing its muscle in Friday’s comeback over Denver and Virginia showing off its supreme offensive depth in a big win over Towson Saturday, the ACC is indeed loaded. And we haven’t even seen Syracuse or Notre Dame yet.

DUKE STARTS SLOW AGAIN, STILL TOPS RMU

For the second consecutive game, Duke overcame a sluggish start and proved the better team in the end.

After allowing Robert Morris to score five first-quarter goals and jump out to a three-goal lead, the Blue Devils buckled down and allowed just five goals the rest of the way.

The top-ranked team in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Men’s Preseason Top 20 improved to 2-0 with a 16-12 win Sunday evening, led by three goals each from Nakeie Montgomery and Cameron Badour. Michael Sowers totaled three assists.

Robert Morris opened fast in its season opener, as four different scorers — Jake Boudreau, Ryan Smith, Austin Popovich and Corson Kealey — gave the Colonials a 4-0 lead in the game’s first six minutes. Duke went on to score eight straight goals between the first and third quarters to take a 9-5 lead. The Blue Devils entered the fourth quarter with a 10-7 lead.

Boudreau threatened the Duke lead early in the fourth quarter, as his strike with 13:59 remaining cut the RMU deficit to 10-8. But Badour and Sean Lowrie ripped off two straight for Duke, adding some insurance and ensuring that Duke would start its 2021 season at 2-0.

Mike Adler made 11 saves (68.8 percent), and Jake Naso won 19 of 28 faceoffs.