Women?s Lacrosse Nets Season-High 22 Goals In Win Over Vanderbilt

Wednesday, March 11

Durham, N.C.

2:30 p.m.

Duke University

Vanderbilt

Women?s Lacrosse Nets Season-High 22 Goals In Win Over Vanderbilt

3/11/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. ? The No. 4 Duke women's lacrosse team scored a season-best 22 goals ? including six from junior Lindsay Gilbride ? in Wednesday afternoon's 22-16 victory over No. 10 Vanderbilt at Koskinen Stadium. Duke improves to 6-1 on the season ? and a perfect 4-0 at home ? with the victory, while the Commodores drop to 2-3.

Today's output was the most in a game for the Blue Devils since netting 23 in the NCAA Tournament first round game vs. LeMoyne on May 13, 2007.

“I felt like our attack played like their old selves today,” said head coach Kerstin Kimel. “We took care of the ball, stayed disciplined and finished, and it shows that we've been working on certain things on offense. I'm glad that hard work translated to the game today.”

“At the same time, I'm not as happy that we gave up 16 goals,” Kimel said. “Vanderbilt has an awesome attack, and we just gave their great shooters too many wide open, easy looks. We can't afford to do that as we move forward.”

Gilbride's six goals was a career-high for the junior in a game, as she now owns a team-high 24 season goals. Gilbride was joined in the scoring column by senior Caroline Cryer with five, senior Carolyn Davis with four, sophomore Sarah Bullard with three, sophomore Christie Kaestner with two, and senior Megan Del Monte and sophomore Emma Hamm with one tally apiece.

Cryer, Davis, Del Monte, and Gilbride all added two assists on the day as Duke received a balanced offensive effort. Gilbride's eight total points led all players.

The Blue Devils started things off with a 4-0 run to begin the game, all coming within the first four minutes of play. Davis got Duke on the board first with an unassisted tally as she took the ball coast-to-coast and sent the ball into the net with 28:53 showing on the clock. Cryer then put Duke up 2-0 off a pass from Bullard in front, before Bullard netted two of her own in the next minute to give the Blue Devils the early four-goal cushion to work with. Bullard's second was a one-timer off a pass from Gilbride past the keeper.

Vanderbilt got on the board with five minutes gone by, receiving two consecutive goals from Ally Carey to cut the lead in half at 4-2 and preview the high-scoring affair that was coming. Duke built the lead to six, 9-3, on an unassisted goal for Davis after a Vanderbilt foul was called. The Blue Devils would score four-in-a-row between the 13:09 and 6:51 marks in the first half ? three of which came from Cryer ? as Duke built its largest lead of the first frame at eight, 13-5. Cryer's first goal during that stretch came on a behind-the-back goal after she took a pass from Kaestner and fooled the keeper with the trick shot.

Vanderbilt's Katherine Denkler netted a late score for the Commodores with four minutes left before Del Monte found the scoreboard with 48 seconds left in the half as Duke guarded the 14-6 advantage entering the locker room.

Duke would maintain the large lead after the break, with the teams trading goals to start the second half before the Blue Devils went off on a 3-0 run with just over 14 to play to go up by their largest lead of nine, 20-11. After Duke was up 22-13 on Cryer's last goal at 4:18, the Commodores went on to score the game's final three ? on goals from Denkler, Laura Keenan, and Alex Priddy with one second left ? to cut it to six as the horn sounded.

VU was led by Denkler's five goals, while Carey finished with four and added three helpers.

Davis added four draw controls and four caused turnovers for Duke in a strong all-around performance. Gilbride was 3-for-3 on eight-meter chances in the game. Kim Imbesi made nine saves in the cage for the Blue Devils, picking up her fifth win of the season.

As a team, Duke out-shot the Commodores 38-33, including a 24-14 mark in the first half. Duke also edged Vandy in draw controls and ground balls.

Next up for Duke is a road trip to Washinton, D.C., to take on No. 8 Georgetown this Sat., March 14 at 1 p.m. The Hoyas are 3-0 on the season, most recently defeating Denver.

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