Taylor Cummings is a three-time Tewaaraton winner, a member of Team USA and the head coach at McDonogh (Md.) . "Taylor's Takes" is presented by Gait Lacrosse. Be legendary.

This weekend finally showcased the game that we had been waiting for all season long — North Carolina versus Syracuse. And believe me, it did not disappoint.

Early on, Syracuse looked to be in control, as it was able to dominate the draw circle and work its classic weave offense perfectly. The Orange started 4-for-4 in shooting and were able to create chaos on the defensive end with their patented high-pressure backer. About five minutes into the game, it looked like the Orange had the Heels on their heels (sorry, I had to!).

That was until … Jamie Ortega, Katie Hoeg, Ally Mastroianni, Scottie Rose Growney and the entire Tar Heel defense decided that enough was enough. A 9-0 offensive run for UNC came to fruition thanks to outstanding team defense and a shift in control in the draw circle. Mastroianni and Growney were able to adjust in the circle to help the Heels secure possession. A defense led by Taylor Moreno and Emma Trenchard settled in and was able to create its own version of chaos with stellar 1-v-1 defense, poke checks and seamless transition into the offensive end.

With possession time now in its favor, the UNC offense that has impressed us all year long clicked into action and simply produced. Hoeg to Ortega. Ortega to Hoeg. Ortega to Warehime. Hoeg to Mastroianni. Mastroianni to Growney. One by one, the goals and assists kept coming. The Heels were able to dissect the Syracuse defense by doing three things incredibly well — playing patiently while at full speed, keeping their heads up as they dodged and slowing the game down in their minds.

To put it simply, they ran fast, they played fast and they saw plays happening slower than in real time. As a result, the Heels were able to find success throughout the remainder of the game as they cruised to a 17-6 victory.

As with any great teams, both Syracuse and UNC will continue to make adjustments and improve as the year goes on. I’m just hopeful that we are able to see these two teams clash in the ACC or NCAA tournaments because I’m confident those games will be even more entertaining.

And now onto the players around all of Division I who impressed!

Taylor’s Top Players

Sadie Grozier, Colorado

Grozier was all over the field on Friday night in Colorado’s victory over USC. She not only put the ball in the back of the net five times, but she was able to create chaos and turnovers on the ride that led to extra possessions for the Buffs. Her offensive firepower and tenacity in transition were key to Colorado’s win.

Working hard on the ride is something that is often difficult for coaches to teach. Rather, players themselves must possess the grit and unrelenting determination to get the ball back. Grozier has that fight — and then some.

Ally Mastroianni, North Carolina

On a team with so many superstars, it’s hard to pick just one to highlight from this weekend’s classic 1-v-2 matchup. While she may have had teammates who scored more and others who created more caused turnovers, Mastroianni was the key for UNC’s victory on Saturday because she did a little bit of everything.

The luxury of being a two-way midfielder is having the ability to have a hand in every aspect of the game. Ally was able to control the ever-crucial draw circle, score on the offensive end, play solid team-oriented defense and be a spark in transition. She had a fabulous game on Saturday and played an integral role in the huge conference win.

Sophia LeRose, Duke

The Blue Devils goalie had a solid game against Boston College this weekend. With every save that she was able to make, the confidence of Duke continued to grow and grow.

LeRose’s positioning in the cage is almost flawless as she consistently holds her pipes and cuts down shooters’ angles. Much of the BC offense is centered around Charlotte North and Cara Urbank’s crease play, and LeRose was able to not only make point blank saves, but snag up ground balls and create deflections. LeRose ended the game with eight saves.

Jackie Wolak, Notre Dame

If you’re a young attacker and haven’t watched Jackie Wolak from Notre Dame play yet, please make sure you do before the season ends. Wolak brings another dimension to the talented Irish offense thanks to her crazy quick feet, stellar vision and sharp shooting.

In Notre Dame’s game against Virginia on Saturday, Wolak was able to catch her defender off guard at X, get one step above the goal line and create enough angle with her stick to zip the ball just inside the opposite pipe. She is constantly moving and cutting as she looks to create openings for herself and others and can find a teammate’s stick for a feed with absolute ease.

Cara Urbank, Boston College

A veteran leader for Boston College, Urbank was able to help the Eagles create momentum in a tough ACC matchup against Duke Saturday afternoon. She had four goals, along with two caused turnovers, two ground balls and four draw controls in the contest (many of them in the second half).

Urbank is an incredibly smart player who is able to read defensive slides well and can attack off both the dodge and a cut. With North being face guarded for much of the second half, Urbank was able to use that defensive decision to her advantage. She pinned her own defender by running right off North’s shoulder for a wide-open shot and score. Cara’s ability to punish defenses for making certain strategic decisions makes her an X-factor for BC.

Taylor’s Top 10 Teams

1. North Carolina (11-0)
2. Northwestern (9-0)
3. Syracuse (6-1)
4. Boston College (8-1)
5. Notre Dame (6-2)
6. Stony Brook (9-2)
7. Virginia (8-3)
8. Maryland (5-3)
9. Duke (6-5)
10. Florida (9-2)