Completed Event: Women's Lacrosse at #4 Florida on May 15, 2025 , Loss , 9, to, 11
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Final
Women's Lacrosse
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McCarthy: Introducing the Newest Blue Devils
10/24/2014 9:49:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
Duke junior Jordan McCarthy will blog throughout the 2015 season, providing fans with an inside look at life on the Blue Devil women's lacrosse team. Look for Jordan's blog all year on GoDuke.com.
Welcome back Duke Lacrosse Fans!
As we near the end of fall ball, it seems long over due that we introduce the newest 11 members of the Duke lacrosse family. First on the list is our new assistant coach, Lauren Morton, who spent the last two years coaching at Georgetown. “Mort” has not only brought a new style of play to our attack, but her daily energy is just the spark we need. She always has the perfect one-liner to make us buckle over with laughter and, not to mention, she dominates in early morning pool workouts. Next up is Quin Cullen, a sophomore transfer from Vanderbilt, whose fearlessness and tenacity on defense has aided her swift adjustment to a new team.
This year we have nine new freshmen that have quickly proved that age is just a number. Coming to us from Minnesota, we have O (Oralee Hespenheide) and Janne (Anne Slusser). In net O's raw talent and eagerness to learn has made her progression both speedy and exiting to watch. Also – fun fact – as a former cheerleader, O can land a perfect standing back tuck in the middle of practice. Although we are currently working on putting some muscle on Janne's noodle legs, you'd be a fool to underestimate her! As a fellow defender, Janne's got some of the fastest feet on the team, making her a hard opponent to beat. Also on defense, we have Miss Breezy Thomas, whose award-winning smile never fails to brighten my day. However, don't let her kind nature deceive you. On the field, Breezy is aggressive, powerful and feisty. Our last defender, residing from Clifton, Virginia, is Kat Zempolich. Kat has incredible field vision and an eagerness to learn, not to mention, her quick wit never fails to lighten a gloomy mood.
New to our midfield are Maddie Crutchfield, Jackie Perry and Gianna Ossello. Maddie has quickly earned herself the nickname “Clutch-field” because when it comes to pressure situations, Maddie is our girl. With unmatched speed, and arguably the quickest hands on the team, she is undoubtedly “clutch.” Next up, J-Per, is the newest addition to our top dodger crew. Put her at the top of the 12 with a ball in her stick and she will take our most experienced defenders to goal, AND she will finish. G Baby's Colorado style makes her both laid back and incredibly scrappy. She is the perfect teammate because she is easy to play with but hard to play against.
Our final two freshmen, Kyra Harney and Grace Fallon, have already put up numerous points on attack. Kiki's quick first step and off-ball awareness have earned her the nomination as the new sneakiest player, a position that was previously held by 2014 graduate Sydney Peterson. Also, look out for her signature style. In my humble opinion, her lax swag ranks among the top Duke players. Last but definitely not least is Gracie, our killer lefty, whose shot is not only perfectly timed but also flawlessly accurate. Trust me, you wont see it coming until the cage rattles and the net swooshes. Each of these 10 players brings a unique playing style and personality to our family of 35. Furthermore, their collective energy and passion for the game has greatly enhanced our team chemistry. We are so excited to see what these girls can do in the future as they continue to improve and find their niches.
In my opinion, the fall is when our team chemistry is truly cultivated. We are not only getting to know our new freshmen but we also have more time together off the field. For instance, our team and coaches are split into three groups, with the coaches rotating monthly. During the month with our allotted coach, each group comes together off the field for some fun and creative bonding. In September, Coach Kimel brought my group to her house for seven-layer dip and her unrivaled Runners Stews. Meanwhile, Mandy B's group came together for s'mores and ghost stories. Coming in strong, Mort organized a group trip to a haunted house that left Kelsey Duryea and Claire Scarrone rattled for days. Within our groups we also have smaller families of four that are able to meet more often. My family's favorite spot is Durham's homemade ice cream shop, the Parlor, where Kitty Morrissey never fails to order the largest sundae on the menu, yet still maintains her six pack abs. Our team this year also held our first women's lacrosse formal, which we hope to continue as an annual tradition. Organized by senior, Angel Thompson, our entire team dressed up and enjoyed dinner at Tobacco Road with our invited dates. The night was a wonderful success with perfect weather and a beautiful venue.
In the next couple weeks, we have two exciting events that are always fall favorites. The first is our Fall Invitational, which will be held on Duke's newly renovated practice fields. With the last week of fall ball practice under our belts, the tournament provides the perfect opportunity to showcase the skills and chemistry we have built this fall. Finally, our annual Halloween party and competition is approaching! As per tradition, each grade vigorously plans a group themed costume, which remains secret until Coach Kimel's party. On the day of the party, the coaches and our assisting staff vote for the grade with the best costume. My fellow junior class is sure to have a comeback after ranking last two years in a row! Look out for our next blog post, which will announce the victors!
Duke Lax Love,
J-Mac
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