Scrappy Blue Devils Fall Short Against Wildcats, 15-11

Sunday, April 6

Durham, N.C.

1:00 p.m.

Duke University

Northwestern

Scrappy Blue Devils Fall Short Against Wildcats, 15-11

4/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. -- The Duke women's lacrosse team took an 8-6 lead into halftime of its match with No. 1 Northwestern on Sunday afternoon in Koskinen Stadium, but was unable to hold on against the Wildcats' high-powered attack and fell 15-11. It marked Duke's fifth straight game, and seventh in its last eight, against a ranked opponent. The game is available on-demand on ACCSelect.com.

After falling behind 4-0 and 5-1, Duke scored three consecutive goals midway through the first half and connected for seven of the last eight scores of the first to take the 8-6 edge into the locker room. Midfielders Allie Johnson, Lindsay Gilbride and Emma Hamm were pivotal in that run, each scoring twice. Unfortunately that trio would be held to just one goal, by Hamm, in the second stanza.

The two-goal halftime lead for the Blue Devils was the largest deficit that Northwestern had faced all year, but would not hold up as the ?Cats scored seven of the first eight goals of the second half. Junior midfielders Hannah Nielsen and Meredith Frank combined for five goals and four assists for Northwestern in the second period after being shutout in the first.

Duke was the first team to outshoot Northwestern this year, winning that battle 27-26. However, the Wildcats' Morgan Lathrop make 10 saves in goal to slow the Blue Devils.

Duke also picked up more ground balls (10-6) and turned the ball over less (8-11), but lost the draw (11-18) for the seventh game this season and committed 13 more fouls that Northwestern (34-21). The Blue Devil defense was also hurt by the loss of junior Christina Germinario, who picked up her second yellow card with 1:44 left in the first half, forcing her to sit out the remainder of the game.

Junior attacker Carolyn Davis showed signs of returning to her position in the midfield that she has had the last two seasons, as she picked up three ground balls, secured three draw controls and caused one turnover.

Northwestern's offensive attack was led by the quartet of junior Hilary Bowen with four goals and one assist, sophomore Danielle Spencer with three scores, Nielsen with two goals and four assists and Frank with three scores and six draw controls.

The loss was the fourth straight for the Blue Devils, which has not occurred since the second year of the program's existence, in 1997. Duke falls to 7-5 on the year while Northwestern improves to 11-0. Duke is now 2-4 this season against top-10 competition and is 4-5 against all ranked opponents.

The Wildcats have won 32 straight games and are 73-2 since the start of the 2005 season. Their only losses in that stretch both came in North Carolina: at Duke in 2006 and at UNC in 2007. Northwestern now leads the all-time series, 4-2, and picked up its first win over Duke in Durham.

Duke will take on ACC foes Boston College and Virginia Tech on Saturday, Apr. 12 and Monday, Apr. 14. The B.C. game will be the final home match of the year for the Blue Devils and will start at 12:00 p.m., with a senior day ceremony included. The V.T. game is on the road, and will face-off at 6:00 p.m., in Blacksburg, Va.

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