Duke Takes Care Of Business, Defeats LeMoyne 23-8 In NCAA Tournament

Sunday, May 13

Durham, N.C.

2 p.m.

Duke University

LeMoyne (First Round)

Duke Takes Care Of Business, Defeats LeMoyne 23-8 In NCAA Tournament

5/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. --- In the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday in Koskinen Stadium, the No. 2 seeded Duke Blue Devils (15-3) knocked out the LeMoyne Dolphins (16-5), by a score of 23-8. The 23 goals was the most the Devils have scored all season as they improved their home winning streak to 14 games.

Leading the way for Duke as usual was junior attacker Caroline Cryer (four goals and four assists), senior attacker Kristen Waagbo (four goals and two assists), senior midfielder and captain Rachel Sanford (three goals and one assist) and senior attacker Leigh Jester (two goals and two assists). LeMoyne was unable to stop that quartet throughout the game.

“I'm pleased that we were able to move past the first step and I look forward to our next opponent on Saturday,” said Head Coach Kerstin Kimel after the game.

Jester started off the offensive fireworks only 23 seconds into the game, and Duke would lead for the remainder of the contest. Waagbo would tally the next three scores of the game before senior midfielder Amanda Keegan was able to get the Dolphins on the board with the first of her four first half goals at the 25:03 mark of the first period.

LeMoyne would go on to score three of the next four goals, including Keegan's second and third, to pull to within 5-4, with 15:30 remaining before halftime. The Blue Devils and Dolphins would trade the next two scores to keep the game at a one-goal difference at 6-5 with 14:08 left in the first stanza. Duke then notched five straight and seven of the last eight of the half to go into the locker room up, 13-6. Those seven goals were all scored by different players.

The second half would feature the Blue Devils' offense holding possession and their defense holding the Dolphins to a mere two free-position goals by junior attacker Lauren Byrne. Cryer came alive, hitting paydirt three times and adding one assist in the second half. Duke caused a season-high 19 turnovers on the afternoon, including five by sophomore midfielder Carolyn Davis and three by senior midfielder and captain Michelle Menser. Davis also added five ground balls and leads the team this season with 32.

10 different Blue Devils would find the back of the net in the game, including eight players with at least two goals. Other than Cryer, Waagbo, Sanford and Jester, Duke's multiple goal scorers included Menser, senior attacker Kim Wathey, freshman midfielder Danielle Kachulis and redshirt sophomore midfielder Jessica Adam.

Duke was dominant in just about every facet of the game. The Devils controlled the draw (21-11), out-shot the Dolphins (48-11), secured more ground balls (21-14), turned the ball over only 11 times to LeMoyne's 22 and were a perfect 8 for 8 on clears while the Dolphins were only 6 for 13. Cryer and junior Allie Johnson led the way on the draw, securing five and four, respectively.

“I thought we did a good job of winning the draw and controlling the ball,” said Kimel. “We've also worked on our offensive transition a little and I think that really came into play today. We're going to try to get better in these areas and shore up our defense in trying to get ready for Johns Hopkins.”

The 16-team NCAA tournament is now down to eight teams, ironically all of which were ranked in the top eight in both of the final polls this season. Four of the eight teams hail from the ACC. No. 6 (No. 2 seed) Duke will host No. 8 (No. 7 seed) Johns Hopkins on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Koskinen Stadium. Johns Hopkins defeated Hofstra, 12-8, on Sunday, in Hempstead, N.Y. The Final Four is hosted by the University of Pennsylvania on Fri., May 25 and Sun., May 27, at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pa.

DUKE NOTES
** Duke improves to 9-9 all-time and 9-3 at home in NCAA Tournament play

** Duke's 15 wins this season tie for the third-most in school history with the 2001 team, trailing only the 17 victories earned by the 2005 squad and the 18 wins by the 2006 team

** Duke owns a program-best 14-game home winning streak, including a 9-0 mark this season, dating back to April of 2006

** Duke is now 50-10 over the past three seasons and 76-21 over the past five

** Duke has won their opening round tournament game in seven of the previous nine seasons

** Cryer's 64 goals this season is tied for second on the all-time Duke list ... She is also one of only five players in the country with at least 50 goals and 50 draw controls ... Cryer is also a Tewaaraton Trophy finalist

** Waagbo moved into sole possession of third place on the career ACC assists list and now has 112 ... her 2.22 assists per game is tops in the ACC ... moved into third place on the all-time Duke list for goals with 156

** Jester now has 22 goals and five assists in eight career NCAA tournament games

** Duke's 15.72 goals per game is the highest mark in school history by almost a full goal

** Sunday was the first meeting between Duke and LeMoyne