Duke Falls 7-5 at Vanderbilt

Sunday, February 12

Nashville, Tenn.

1:00 PM

Duke University

Vanderbilt

Duke Falls 7-5 at Vanderbilt

2/12/2012 12:44:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

By: Duke Sports Information

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Free position opportunities proved to be the difference as the fifth-ranked Duke women's lacrosse team fell, 7-5, at No. 19 Vanderbilt Sunday afternoon from VU's Soccer/Lacrosse Complex.

Duke (2-1, 0-0 ACC) held the overall advantage in both shots (20-15) and draw controls (10-4) but Vanderbilt (1-0, 0-0 ALC) used its advantage on free position shots to secure the two-goal win. All but one VU goal came off a free position shot as the Commodores converted on 6-of-7 free position opportunities while the Blue Devils were 0-for-3 on the day.

Duke received two goals from freshman Kerrin Maurer and one goal each from senior Kim Wenger, freshman Taylor Trimble and sophomore Maddy Morrissey. Both Wenger and redshirt senior Emma Hamm recorded assists, however, the Blue Devil offense was out of sync for most of the afternoon as Vanderbilt held Duke to its lowest goal total since February 27, 2010.

A defensive battle for most of the game, Vanderbilt was able to jump out to an early lead just over a minute in on a free position goal from Ally Carey. The Commodores made it 2-0 10 seconds later after Kelly Connors scored on a breakaway following the draw.

Duke's defense clamped down following VU's second goal and held the Commodores scoreless for the next 15 minutes. The Blue Devils got on the board three minutes in as Wenger beat her defender on the right for her fifth goal of the season.

The Blue Devils tied the game up at two eight minutes later as Hamm found Trimble for the goal. Vanderbilt went up by one on a free position goal from Kelly Connors with over 16 minutes to play in the half, but neither team could find the back of the cage the rest of the way and Vanderbilt took the 3-2 lead into the intermission.

Maurer tied the game at three-all just over two minutes into the second half, but a 3-0 Commodore run gave Vanderbilt a 6-3 advantage with 18:25 left to play. Morrissey cut that lead to two with 14:27 to go before VU's Abby Wheeler connected on Vanderbilt's sixth free position of the game and fourth of the half to make it 7-4 with six minutes to play.

Maurer made it 7-5 off an assist from Wenger with 3:38 to go and Taylor Virden won the ensuing draw to give Duke possession. The Blue Devils next shot on ricocheted off the crossbar and Vanderbilt recovered the ball. The Blue Devils would not be able to get off another shot the rest of the way as Vanderbilt hung on for the two-goal victory.

Duke's current three-game road streak comes to an end next Friday, February 17, as the Blue Devils travel to Richmond for a 3 p.m. match against the Spiders.

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