Kaestner: Duke Travels to Hyco Lake

10/11/2010 11:22:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. - Throughout the fall, senior Christie Kaestner will post blog updates, giving fans inside access to the Duke women's lacrosse team. Read her third post below for the inside scoop on the team's progress.

Happy October everyone!

We've had quite the week since I last checked in - from scrimmages versus Syracuse and UNC to the team-bonding trip to Hyco Lake and midterms galore. Let's start with the trip to Hyco Lake. Where to start... kayaking, canoeing, sunbathing, and swimming welcomed us as we settled into our quaint little cabins and took over the lake. We played an epic game of wiffle ball that included softball chants from Emma Hamm, an almost no-hitter from designated pitcher Casey Beyel (NOT), and Miller Hughes demonstrating her fantastic double play skills. Kat Thomas and I sank a kayak and Jackie Klauberg almost went overboard when the rest of her canoe bailed and jumped in the warm lake. Maddy Morrissey has a killer tan line from falling asleep on the dock on her stomach and I think Bridget Nolan and Virginia Crotty win for most sun absorbed. After cooking a delicious dinner of burgers, fries, and a salad, we went about building a campfire to cook s'mores.

I would like to preface the next story by telling you all that when Sarah Bullard and I get together, sometimes we get weird and we always get competitive. Eager to lend assistance to Mollie Mackler and Kat building the fire, we trekked off in search of firewood. Walking quite far from the campsite with only a few sticks to show for our effort, we spotted a stump that seemed breakable and harvestable. Throwing in all our effort, we pushed and shoved and pulled and kicked at it, but to no avail, as the stump would not be budged. In kicked our competitive instincts and we refused to let the stump beat us. By this point we had stripped off our sweats and were getting fairly hot. Sarah sprinted off with a "brilliant idea" and eventually she returned with a 40 pound rock, which we took turns chucking at the stump. After about a half hour we succeeded in knocking off two huge chunks of the stump, which we obviously lifted to our shoulders as a sort of sacrifice and returned in full glory to the campsite. Like I said, things got weird. After skits, hilarious stories about pets, siblings, and parents around the fire, shooting stars on the dock, and some snuggling, welcomed or not, in the double beds, we packed up the next morning and headed to Chapel Hill for our first scrimmage against 'Cuse!

Now, on the dock I proceeded to rock and I mean ROCK my head on a sign and could not play Sunday due to what Jen determined was a minor concussion. Therefore, from the sidelines, I could observe our new team and see how good we looked! And I must say, we looked GOOD. Now, I am the worst injured person in the world. I was 10 yards on the field and might as well have been in the play, so I can honestly say from my point of view, we looked awesome. People raced around, attacked the cage, and played very aggressively on defense. We played very well and rolled through an extremely busy mid term week. The light at the end of the tunnel was a scrimmage vs. UNC on Thursday and fall break! After a sluggish start against the Tar Heels, we flipped the switch and came firing back. We finished strong and proved we will compete against the best to be the best this year! And now we are dispersed around the country, back home (for the freshmen the first time home is always strange) or on vacation. I personally will be getting barreled at the beach since my parents aren't home this weekend and I'm on my own-thanks mom and dad. Kaitlin Gaiss, Taylor Virden, and I are taking over Wrightsville and teaching a clinic. Congrats to Caroline Spearman's sister Danielle, for taking the plunge and getting married this weekend in the chapel! Oh, and before I forget, shout out to Lyman Bullard for simply being you. Catch you all next week!

Love and Lax,

- 7

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