Completed Event: Women's Lacrosse at #4 Florida on May 15, 2025 , Loss , 9, to, 11
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Women's Lacrosse
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Women's Lacrosse Travels to Orlando For ACC Championships
4/17/2001 1:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
ACC CHAMPIONSHIPS - FIRST ROUND
April 20, 2001 3:30 PM
#4 Duke (11-2) VS. #6 North Carolina (9-4)
Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex Orlando, Fla.
DUKE PREPARES FOR THE ACC TOURNAMENT
The fourth-ranked Duke women's lacrosse team (11-2) faces sixth-ranked North Carolina (9-4) in the ACC Championship semifinals on Friday, April 20, in Orlando, Florida. The game is part of ACC Springfest, and will be played at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex.
Duke enters the ACC Tournament seeded second for just the second time in the program's history, and the Blue Devils are still looking for their first tournament victory. This could be the Blue Devils best chance yet, as they have already knocked off rival North Carolina once this season by a score of 10-9. In a classic battle in Durham, Duke sophomore Lauren Gallagher scored the game winning-goal with 14 seconds to play to life the Blue Devils over their rival. Kelly Dirks had a team-high three goals, while seven different Blue Devils found the back of the net in all.
DUKE IN THE ACC'S
Duke is 0-4 in ACC Tournament action, including two one-goal losses in the last two seasons. Last year, North Carolina edged the Blue Devils 7-6 at College Park, Maryland, while Virginia defeated Duke 10-9 the previous year.
NOTING THE BLUE DEVILS
Duke has recorded its best ACC record in school history behind strong offensive and defensive play. The Blue Devils could set a program record for fewest goals allowed, which currently stands at 134 (1997 and 2000). To date, they have allowed only 84 goals.
FOSTER SPARKS DEVILS FROM THE CAGE
Duke goalie Kristen Foster had the biggest shoes of the season to fill in trying to replace Shannon Chaney from last year's team. Foster was more than ready for the challenge, leading the Blue Devils with 118 saves and only 82 goals against. Her .590 save percentage ranks first in the ACC and ninth in the country .
The junior native of Ellicott City, Maryland may not enjoy flying, but she has come up big in games that involve air travel. On March 14, Foster recorded eight saves and yielded just two goals en route to a 22-2 trashing of Vanderbilt. When the Blue Devils flew to New Haven, Connecticut for a doubleheader against Yale and Notre Dame, Foster recorded 19 saves and allowed only six goals on the weekend, including a stifling two-goals against performance against seventh-ranked Yale.
IN THE RANKINGS
Duke has been ranked no lower than No. 5 this season, and all but two weeks have been spent at No. 4. The ACC continues to dominate the rankings with all four teams in the top 10 in the nation.
HIGH SCORING DEVILS
After 13 matches, six different Blue Devils have scored 10 goals or more (Lauren Gallagher, Kate Kaiser, Kelly Dirks, Claire Finn, Claire Sullivan, and Kate Soulier). Duke has outscored its opponents 164-84 through 13 contests, giving it a scoring margin of +6.16. Gallagher leads the Blue Devils with 11 assists and 40 points. Kaiser leads the team with 31 goals.
ABOUT THE BLUE DEVILS
The Duke women's lacrosse team is once again having an excellent season and enters the 2001 ACC Tournament with its best record ever at 11-2.
The 1999 season was a breakout year for the Blue Devils as they advanced to the NCAA Final Four for the first time in school history and set a school record with 13 victories. In 2000 the Blue Devils did not let down winning, 11 matches and knocking off seven ranked teams (#23 Virginia Tech, #18 Vanderbilt, #6 Georgetown, #5 North Carolina, #20 William & Mary, #14 Yale, and #2 Dartmouth).
Duke began last season winning seven of their first nine matches and were ranked #3 in the nation, but then lost to eighth-ranked Virginia (10-8), sixth-ranked North Carolina (7-6), and seventh-ranked James Madison (16-14) down the stretch. The Blue Devils rebounded to defeat second-ranked Dartmouth 11-8 to conclude the regular season, and then returned to Durham to again defeat Dartmouth in the first round of the NCAA's 7-6. The Blue Devils concluded their season with a NCAA quarterfinal loss at Princeton, as the Tigers outlasted the Blue Devils in triple-overtime to win 10-9 and advance to the Final Four.
HEAD COACH KERSTIN KIMEL
Named the ACC Coach of the Year in 1998 and Co-ACC Coach of the Year in 2000, Kerstin Kimel is currently in her sixth year at the helm of the Blue Devil program and her seventh as a collegiate head coach. She owns a 56-40 record during her Duke career and a 60-48 mark overall. After beginning the Duke program in 1996 and recording 11 wins in the first two seasons, Kimel has sparked the Blue Devils to 33 victories over the last three seasons and three trips to the NCAA Tournament. Her 1999 squad advanced to the NCAA Final Four for the first time in the school history. In 2000 Duke was never ranked lower than No. 8 in the nation. The 2001 year has been just as kind to Kimel's Blue Devils, as Duke has not fallen below No. 5 in the national rankings.
Prior to joining the Duke staff, Kimel served as the head coach at Davidson for one season. A native of Havertown, Pa., Kimel was a two-time All-America at Maryland and led the Terrapins to four consecutive Final Four appearances as well as the 1992 NCAA National Championship. A 1992 NCAA All-Tournament Team selection, she was named the 1993 National Defensive Player of the Year. She graduated from Maryland in 1993.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Duke has once again scheduled the highest competition in their 2001 campaign, already having faced nine ranked opponents, six of which have been in the top 10. Duke is 7-2 against ranked opponents this season, with its only two losses coming against top-ranked Maryland and then-No. 4 Princeton.
FROM THE LAND DOWN UNDER
Sophomore attacker Meg Barnet has made a long trip to be with the Blue Devil program, as she calls Adelaide, Australia home. But it has been worth it for Duke and Barnet, as she has come off the bench in every game with significant minutes. She has scored seven goals and assisted on five others for the Blue Devils in the 13 contests.
IRON DUKES
So far this season, nine Duke players have started all 13 matches- Lauren Gallagher, Kate Kaiser, Kelly Dirks, Claire Finn, Claire Sullivan, Kate Soulier, Courtney Rodgers, Kristen Foster, and Amy Noble.
DIARY ON THE WEB
Senior midfielder Kate Soulier is writing a weekly diary on the web. Soulier provides insight into past games, upcoming opponents, and humorous happenings with Duke women's lacrosse. You can find the journal at www.goduke.com.
THE CAPTAINS
The captains for the 2000 Duke women's lacrosse squad are Kate Soulier and Barbara Preston.
STREAKING BLUE DEVILS
With its victory over Yale last weekend, Duke is currently on its longest winning streak ever at eight games. That streak has included six wins over ranked opponents, including No. 2 Georgetown, No. 9 Virginia, and No. 7 Yale.
DOUBLE THE PLEASURE
The Kate-Kate and Claire-Claire combinations have yielded some impressive numbers for the Blue Devils this season. Kate (Kaiser) and Kate (Soulier) have combined for 41 goals and 14 assists, while Claire (Finn) and Claire (Sullivan) have tallied 24 goals and 10 assists.
THE CENTURY CLUB
Three current Blue Devils are in the century club with 100 points or more in their careers. Kate Soulier stands atop active players with 134 points. Kate Kaiser's five-goal, seven-point performance against Virginia added her to the 100-point list, and she now has 104 points. Kelly Dirks became the most recent member of the club, notching her 100th point against Notre Dame with a goal to begin to second half. She currently has 101 points. The only other Blue Devil to reach 100 points is Tricia Martin, who stands at the seemingly unapproachable total of 236 points.
KAISER ROLL
Kate Kaiser is on a roll, scoring 18 goals in her last five contests, and now leading the Blue Devils in goals scored with 31. She has recorded two five-goal games and three four-goal games. Her two game-winning goals were both against ranked opponents.
GALS, GALS, GALS
Lauren Gallagher has been one of the most productive Blue Devils on the field this season, now leading the team in points with 40. Of her 29 goals, four have been game-winners. She leads the team in multi-goal games with 10 in the Blue Devils' 13 contests. In addition to being the only Blue Devil player to score in every match this season, she also tallied a point in all but one of her 30-match career.
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/ Women's LacrosseAndie Smith, Duke | Interview | CGN
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Kerstin Kimel James Madison Postgame Press Conference 5-9
Friday, May 09
Kerstin Kimel Media Availability 5-7
Wednesday, May 07
Kerry Nease Media Availability 5-7
Wednesday, May 07
