Duke Powers Past Vermont, 15-7

Sunday, February 6

Durham, N.C.

1 PM

Duke University

2-0

Vermont

0-1

VERMONT

Duke University'

Dyson Williams celebrates a goal with Brennan O'Neill

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Duke Powers Past Vermont, 15-7

2/6/2022 4:37:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

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DURHAM – Third-ranked Duke outscored Vermont 13-3 in the second half to come away with a 15-7 victory over the Catamounts in men's lacrosse action at Koskinen Stadium Sunday afternoon. The Blue Devils have won 13 straight at home, dating back to the 2020 season.

Graduate student goaltender Mike Adler made 15 saves to anchor an outstanding defensive effort by the Blue Devils. Duke held the Catamounts, ranked 17th in the Inside Lacrosse preseason poll, scoreless in the third quarter and forced 10 second-half turnovers. Junior captain Wilson Stephenson was outstanding on close defense with three caused turnovers and three ground balls.

"It was a great weekend in terms of the number of different situations that we were in and that we saw," said head coach John Danowski. "You have a lead, and you have to play with a lead Friday night. Now you're down at halftime and you have to figure out how to regroup at halftime."

The opening half was a low scoring affair with both teams scoring only twice in the first quarter. Vermont goalie Ryan Cornell made eight saves in the first half,
including denying the Blue Devils from the doorstep on a couple of occasions.

Graduate student midfielder Nakeie Montgomery provided Duke's first two goals, beating Cornell twice in a span of 38 seconds. Montgomery finished the day with a hat trick, his first of the season and the fourth of his career.

"Nakeie is one of the most selfless athletes I've ever been around," Danowski said. "He understands the game, he understands athletics. The other night he had one assist and maybe he took one shot, but he was just part of the flow and he understood that. Today was his time to go to the cage and great re-dodge got underneath and he stepped in and shot and scored. That's what smart players do. They let the game come to them and they understand they'll get their turn and today was his turn."

Vermont put the clamps on the Duke offense in the final seven minutes of the first quarter and the entire second period, keeping the Blue Devils off the board for a span of 25:23. However, Duke's defense stood strong in allowing just two goals in that span despite Vermont firing 11 shots in the second stanza.
Trailing 4-2 at the break, the Blue Devils scored fast and furiously in the third quarter. Junior Dyson Williams threw in a pass from Joe Robertson at the 12:28 mark, and 1:12 later Brennan O'Neill beat the Vermont goalie for the first of his three markers of the day to tie the game at four.

Williams posted three goals and an assist in the game. O'Neill finished the opening weekend with nine goals, while Robertson had a solid all-around showing with three goals and five assists.

The Blue Devils got goals from Williams and Robertson in the next three minutes to go ahead for good at 6-4. Montgomery and Owen Caputo tacked on two more before the end of the quarter to send Duke into the final 15 minutes with an 8-4 lead.

Graduate student Sean Lulley made it a 7-0 run 1:58 into the final period to bring it to 9-4. The Catamounts finally ended the scoring drought at 25:17 with a tally from Michael McCormack. The Blue Devils outscored Vermont 7-0 in that span, compared with the Catamounts managing only two goals in Duke's 25-minute scoreless stretch.

Vermont pulled within three, 10-7, but the Blue Devils responded with the game's final five goals for the 15-7 victory.

Griffin Fenech and McCormack paced Vermont with two goals apiece. McCormack also had an assist.

The faceoff game featured two of the nation's best with Tommy Burke winning 17-of-25 restarts. Duke sophomore Jake Naso was 7-of-20 at the dot and scored the 12th goal of the game to virtually seal the victory for the Blue Devils with just under eight minutes to play.

Duke outshot Vermont 39-36, but the Catamounts had a slight 29-28 edge in ground balls. Cornell finished with 11 saves in the game.

The Blue Devils return home next weekend for another two-game set. Duke hosts Manhattan Feb. 11 at 3 p.m., and Jacksonville Feb. 13 at 1 p.m. Friday's game will be broadcast on ACC Network.

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