The progression continues: Women's lax dreams of title

Two years ago, the women's lacrosse team made the NCAA tournament for the first time in the program's short history. Last year, Duke reached the Final Four, before falling to Virginia by one goal.

This season, Duke is prepared to take the next step in that progression. This team has played with, and beaten, nearly every team in the nation over the last two seasons, which is quite an achievement in just five years under coach Kerstin Kimel.

And while this year's seniors have seen the program rise to the top, they are still hungry to achieve the ultimate goal.

"We were 2-10 the year before we arrived," senior Tricia Martin said. "But we came in here and took a chance on Kerstin. She told us that by our senior year we would have a shot at the national championship, and here we are."

Although advancing to the Final Four was quite an accomplishment, it also serves as a motivating factor this season for a Blue Devil squad that lost only five seniors.

"Every team wants to win the national championship," Martin said. "So, when you come that close and get denied, it's pretty motivating to want to get back the next year, especially for people like us in their senior year."

And while last year's Final Four was a new experience for all, the Blue Devils have aged considerably since last May. This year's squad is comprised of five seniors and seven juniors, and these upperclassmen have a complete understanding of their role on this team.

"Every class that has come in, especially ours, has had to be leaders as freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors, so it's nothing new for us," senior Emily Hickman said. "Kerstin has instilled in us from the beginning that if someone needs help on the team, it is the job of the older people to instruct them. It's our responsibility."

So, what could possibly hold this team back? One obstacle the Blue Devils will face this season is the bullseye they may now wear on their chests. Last year, Duke was still considered a "hunter" for the most part. This season, however, it will likely become the "hunted."

Instead of the Blue Devils looking to avenge losses, there will be many teams on the schedule wanting to exact a bit of revenge on Duke.

"What we have to do this year is handle the expectations of not being an underdog," Kimel said. "Now, people are going to be gunning for us. I think that is the biggest challenge of all, just dealing with the fact that we're supposed to be good this year."

The team has not let these high expectations go to its heads by any means. The players know what it took to reach the semifinals last year, and they hope to continue with that same intensity and focus this season.

"We don't have the mentality that just because we walk out there with Duke on our jerseys that people are going to roll over and die for us," Martin said. "We know that our success last year was based on hard work and believing in our coaches and our teammates. We're going to go out that same way this year. I don't think any of us feel we are different just because we have been to the Final Four."

The Blue Devils have quite a different schedule this year as well. They play the same teams for the most part, but the amount of miles they put on the team van will decrease significantly. While there was a stretch last season in which Duke played seven of eight games on the road, the 2000 Blue Devils play eight of their 15 games at home. This greater number of home contests has its advantages, but it also carries some disadvantages.

"I actually think our tough schedule last year helped us," Kimel said. "The weekend we lost on the road to Yale, the weather conditions were not good and our girls did not handle it well. I knew at the time that that loss would make us a better team, and I think it did. After that, we took nothing for granted."