March 10, 2004
Orlando, Fla. – The 12th-ranked Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team ran its record to 4-0 on the young season by upsetting the second-ranked Duke Blue Devils, 11-9, at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex Wednesday afternoon.
With the win, Duke becomes the highest-ranked team that Notre Dame has ever beaten in the program’s eight-year history. The previous best was wins over seventh-ranked Yale in 2001 and seventh-ranked Syracuse in 2002.
This day belonged to the Irish senior class who had never beaten Duke as they accounted for all 11 Notre Dame goals. Seniors Kassen Delano (Alexandria, Va.) and Abby Owen (Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.) paced the Irish with three goals each. Delano scored all three of hers in the first half and Owen got her’s in the second half, including her third game-winning goal of the year. Meredith Simon (Sr., Flemington, N.J.) scored twice and Lauren Fischer (Sr., Pittsburgh, Pa.) scored one while the defense added a pair as Andrea Kinnik (Sr., West Chester, Pa.) and Kristen Gaudreau (Sr., Annapolis, Md.) found the back of the net.
Freshman Kristen Waagbo scored three goals for Duke while Michelle Menser and Katie Chrest had two each. Corinne Broesler and Meghan Walters had solo goals for the Blue Devils.
The win improves Notre Dame to 4-0 on the season and gives the Irish and eight-game winning streak dating back to the final four games of 2003. Duke falls to 4-1 on the year.
Carol Dixon (Jr., Pennsauken, N.J.) made a career-high 12 saves for the Irish in goal. Megan Huether gave up the first eight Irish goals before giving way to Sheila Powenski with 11:52 left in the second half. Powenski gave up two goals before Huether returned to give up the final Irish goal of the game. Huether had seven saves and Powenski had two.
Duke scored first, just 58 seconds into the game on a goal by Michelle Menser. The Irish came back with six unanswered goals to take a 6-1 lead. Delano scored her first two on free-position shots at 26:45 and 23:45. Simon made it 3-1 at 22:25 before Gaudreau (19:17) and Fischer (13:02) made it 5-1. Delano closed out her hat trick with 6:44 left in the half for the five-goal lead. Broesler cut the lead to 6-2 with 28 seconds left in the half on a free-position shot.
In the second half, Duke got back in the game, scoring three of the first four goals. Walters made it 6-3 just 48 seconds into the half, but Owen answered with her first of the afternoon at 28:05. Waagbo (her first at 27:36) and Menser (her second at 16:40) made it a 7-5 game.
Simon stopped that Duke run with her second goal of the game at 11:52. Chrest scored on a free-position shot at 11:09 to make it 8-6, but the Irish answered with goals from Kinnik and Owen to build the lead back to 10-6 with 5:30 left in the game.
Waagbo quickly cut that lead to 10-8 with goals 25 seconds apart at 4:55 and 4:30. Owen got her third of the afternoon with 2:06 left to make it 11-8 and Dixon did the rest, holding off the Duke attack until Chrest scored with 28 seconds left for the 11-9 win.
Duke outshot the Irish 27-23 in the game.
For the Irish the 4-0 start equals their best start ever (4-0 in 2002). They return to action at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex on Sunday, March 14 when they face the sixth-ranked James Madison Dukes in a 12:00 noon contest.
Game Summary: 1 2 - F#2 Duke (4-1) 2 7 - 9#12 Notre Dame (4-0) 6 5 - 11
First Half ScoringTeam Time Score Goal AssistDU 29:02 0-1 Michelle Menser Katie LaschingerND 26:45 * 1-1 Kassen DelanoND 23:45 * 2-1 Kassen Delano - 2ND 22:25 3-1 Meredith SimonND 19:17 4-1 Kristen Gaudreau Lauren FischerND 13:02 5-1 Lauren FischerND 6:44 6-1 Kassen Delano - 3DU 0:28 * 6-2 Corinne Broesler
Second Half ScoringTeam Time Score Goal AssistDU 29:12 6-3 Meghan Walters Kristin WaagboND 28:05 7-3 Abby OwenDU 27:36 7-4 Kristin WaagboDU 16:40 7-5 Michelle Menser - 2 Corinne BroeslerND 11:52 8-5 Meredith Simon - 2DU 11:09 * 8-6 Katie ChrestND 6:39 9-6 Andrea KinnikND 5:30 10-6 Abby Owen - 2DU 4:55 10-7 Kristen Waagbo - 2DU 4:30 10-8 Kristen Waagbo - 3 Meghan WaltersND 2:06 11-8 Abby Owen -3DU 0:28 11-9 Katie Chrest -2
* denotes free position goal
GoalkeepersDU: Megan Huether (52:38 min; 9 goals against; 7 saves) Sheila Powenski (7:22 min; 2 goals against; 2 saves)ND: Carol Dixon (60:00 min; 9 goals against; 12 saves)