No. 5 Duke Falls to No. 19 USC, 11-5

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Saturday, February 20

Costa Mesa, Calif.

10:00 PM

Duke University

Southern California

Tickets Available for Orange County Winter Invitational

No. 5 Duke Falls to No. 19 USC, 11-5

2/21/2016 12:29:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse

Season Statistics Box Score

By: Duke Sports Information

COSTA MESA, Calif. – The fifth-ranked Blue Devils were held scoreless for a critical 25-minute stretch in an 11-5 loss to No. 19 Southern California Saturday in the US Lacrosse Orange County Winter Invitational. Playing on the West Coast for the first time since 2007, Duke dropped to 2-2 on the year with the loss.

Sophomore Kyra Harney and freshman Olivia Jenner paced the Blue Devil attack with two goals each while senior goalkeeper Kelsey Duryea totaled eight saves in the net.

Despite several early saves by Duryea, the Trojans opened with a 3-0 advantage. Southern California capitalized at the eight-meter mark on two of the three scores before Harney sparked the Blue Devil attack with back-to-back goals midway through the period.

The teams traded markers to keep it at a one-goal game, but USC's Kylie Drexel found the back of the net twice to extend it to 6-3. That score would hold through the end of the half, as Duke was unable to break through on its final possession before the intermission.

The Trojans led in shots, 15-6, at the break, while the Blue Devils held a slight advantage at the draw at 6-5. Duryea notched six saves in the opening 30 minutes.

Southern California extended its run to 5-0 in the second half, with Drexel registering her fourth score and Michael Michael her second. Caroline de Lyra tacked on another and Duke was held without a tally until Jenner converted on a free position opportunity. The goal, her second of the contest, snapped a 25-minute scoreless span. Senior Kelci Smesko followed suit, bouncing one past the USC goalkeeper to trim it to 9-5 with 11:42 to play.

The Trojans ran over eight minutes off the clock before adding a man-up tally and a goal in transition to account for the final score.

For the contest, USC outshot the Blue Devils by a 22-11 margin and won the ground ball battle, 15-10. Draw controls were even at nine-all.

Duke's defense held the Trojans to 3-of-7 from the eight-meter but the Blue Devils went just 2-of-6 on the other end.

Southern California's Drexel led all players in the game with four goals and de Lyra and Michael chipped in two apiece. USC goalkeeper Gussie Johns was credited with two saves.

Duke returns home to welcome in-state opponent Elon to Koskinen Stadium Thursday at 4 p.m. The contest will be broadcast on Blue Devil Network Plus.

#GoDuke