Late Comeback Not Enough in 14-12 Loss at Syracuse

Sunday, April 3

Syracuse, N.Y.

12:00 PM

Duke University

Syracuse

Late Comeback Not Enough in 14-12 Loss at Syracuse

4/3/2016 3:02:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

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By: Duke Sports Information

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Trailing by six goals at the intermission, the 14th-ranked Blue Devils mounted a second half comeback but fell just short in a 14-12 loss to fourth-ranked Syracuse Sunday at the Carrier Dome.

Duke outscored a potent Orange attack 7-3 in the second period, notching the game's final four tallies, and outdrew Syracuse, 7-4. However, the late charge was not enough to overcome a slow start as the Blue Devils slipped to 8-5 on the season and 3-1 in ACC play.

Senior midfielder Maddy Acton accounted for a career-high six goals, matching the squad's best individual output of the season. Sophomore Maddie Crutchfield joined Acton in collecting a hat trick and freshman Olivia Jenner led Duke on the circle with seven draw controls.

“We could have executed better, particularly in the first half,” said head coach Kerstin Kimel. “We did not compete well defensively in the first half. We expected a little bit of what we saw offensively from us, but from a coaching standpoint, we were disappointed we didn't limit any of their top guns. We obviously know their personnel well, know what they're looking to create and we just didn't do a great job.”

After play went back and forth in the opening minutes, the Orange took a two-goal lead on tallies by Halle Majorana and Riley Donahue. The Blue Devils were quick to respond, turning two wins at the draw into scores by seniors Emma Lazaroff and Acton. A Kelsey Duryea stop in the net set up junior midfielder Stuart Humphrey, who gave Duke its first lead of the afternoon at 3-2.

Syracuse then put together a six-goal run spanning 13:09 off the clock, with Majorana, Kayla Treanor and Nicole Levy notching two markers each. Freshman Ella Bonafede snapped the scoring drought with a successful attempt from the eight-meter before the teams swapped tallies inside the final three minutes of the period. Acton netted her second of the day but the Blue Devils would head to the locker room trailing 11-5 at the intermission.

The Orange earned its largest lead early in the second half but goals by Acton and Crutchfield brought it back to a five-goal margin. Duryea and the Duke defense kept Syracuse off the board for over 18 minutes until Emily Resnick of the Orange broke through to make it 13-7.

A caused turnover by senior defender Claire Scarrone resulted in Acton's fourth tally of the day, but Treanor quickly countered for Syracuse. The Blue Devils claimed the next two draws and got back within four on goals by Crutchfield and Acton. Junior Maura Schwitter picked up a key ground ball on an Orange turnover and Crutchfield converted at the eight-meter to cut it to 14-11 with 1:50 remaining.

Jenner corralled the next draw and Duke earned a couple of looks before Acton picked up a loose ball and buried into the back of the net. With only 26 seconds remaining, the Orange took the final draw and ran out the clock to seal the contest.

“We won the draw in the second half and we made stops defensively,” Kimel said. “We started competing and playing. You saw Claire Scarrone make a great play there with about 10 minutes left, a great momentum play – that's the way we're capable of defending. We didn't see that for 40, 50 minutes of the game. It was just too late.”

Shots were even at 27-all for the contest while the Blue Devils had a 12-11 edge in ground balls and Syracuse won the draw by a narrow 14-13 differential.

Duryea finished with seven saves and Syracuse's Allie Murray registered eight on the other end.

Treanor and Majorana led the Orange with hat tricks and Treanor added a game-high 10 draw controls.

Up next, Duke returns home for its final home contest of the regular season in Koskinen Stadium. The Blue Devils host Boston College on Senior Day Saturday, April 9 at 12 p.m. on ESPN3.

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