No. 1 Duke Suffers 13-8 Loss to No. 4 Virginia in ACC Championship Game

Sunday, April 30

Baltimore, Md.

1 p.m.

Duke University

Virginia

No. 1 Duke Suffers 13-8 Loss to No. 4 Virginia in ACC Championship Game

4/30/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse

By: Duke Sports Information

BALTIMORE - Top-seeded Duke was unable to defend its ACC title on Sunday as second-seeded Virginia scored six straight goals to start the second half and went on to win 13-8. The Cavaliers have now handed the Blue Devils both of their losses in 2006 as Duke falls to 15-2 on the year. Virginia improves to 15-3.

The Blue Devils trailed at the half for only the second time this season as Virginia's leading scorer, Tyler Leachman, scored with just 10 seconds remaining in the half. Just 34 seconds prior to the goal, Katie Chrest brought Duke to a 4-4 tie with the Cavaliers when she took a feed from Kristen Waagbo and put it past Virginia's goalie Ginger Miles.

After Virginia scored the first goal in the game, Duke took a 2-1 lead as Carolyn Davis scored and then assisted on a goal by Chrest with 19:32 remaining. The Cavaliers answered with three straight goals, including two by Blair Weymouth to give her three in the opening stanza. Chrest also finished the first half with three goals for the Blue Devils.

The Cavaliers carried the momentum gained by the last goal into the second half with six consecutive goals over the first 20 minutes, including three more by Weymouth to take an 11-4 lead. Duke's Megan Del Monte and Virginia's Tyler Leachman then traded goals over the next six minutes to make the score 13-6. Leachman's goal with 4:08 left in the game set the ACC Tournament record for most goals scored in a tournament. Duke went on to score two more goals in the final minute to make the final score 13-8. The eight goals by Duke is a season-low and only the second time this year they have not scored in double figures. The 13 goals for Virginia is the most Duke has allowed in a game this season. The previous high was 11 scored by the Cavaliers and Vanderbilt earlier this season.

Chrest finished with her 10th hat trick of the season in the game to lead the Blue Devils while Davis and Del Monte each tallied two goals and an assist. It was the third game this season Del Monte scored two goals in a game and set a career high for points in a game with three. Megan Huether added nine saves in a losing effort for Duke.

The six goals scored by Weymouth equaled the most in an ACC Final. Maryland's Jen Adams also scored six against North Carolina in 2000. Leachman finished with four goals and two assists in the contest.

Duke placed four players on the ACC All-Tournament team. Chrest earned her third selection to the All-Tournament team. Davis, Rachel Sanford and Waagbo all were named to the All-Tournament team for the first time.

The Blue Devils will finish their regular season schedule in a week when they travel to New Hampshire for a game against Dartmouth on Sunday, May 7, at 6 p.m.