GENEVA, N.Y. - A goalie is 75 percent of the team's strength. A good one can make a weak team awfully tough to beat, while a mediocre one can ruin an otherwise strong team.
No. 7 Duke, armed with both a good team and a great goalie, routed Hobart 13-1 in their first-round NCAA matchup last Saturday at Hobart's Boswell Field.
Matt Breslin gave the best performance of his career, turning away 22 Hobart shots and shutting out the Statesmen's best offensive player, his fraternal twin Jamie Breslin.
Hobart's lone goal came when Duke failed to clear right in front of the crease and the Statesmen's Jason Ouellet capitalized on the error, tying the score, 1-1.
"I've been coaching lacrosse since 1983, and I've seen a lot of great goalie performances," Duke coach Mike Pressler said. "I've had some and I've seen them from other teams. I can't recall a better performance than Matt Breslin today."
Breslin's performance, along with that of the rest of the defensive unit, could mean an extended stay in the NCAA tournament.
"The common denominator in all great teams is that you gotta play defense," Pressler said. "To hold Hobart to one goal, at home, in the NCAA tournament, is a phenomenal accomplishment. And the credit goes to Stephen [Card] and Matt Breslin, and the entire defense."
The Blue Devils led 5-1 at the break, but Hobart remained within striking distance. Duke then broke the game open by scoring four unanswered goals to push their lead to 9-1 at the end of three periods.
Hobart did outshoot the Blue Devils 44-34, but they were only able to record the one early goal.
"Coach Norm Sloan once said that you don't need shooters, you need makers," Hobart coach B.J. O'Hara said. "We had a lot of shooters today, but we didn't have enough makers."
Hobart also struggled on defense after the first quarter and was not able to keep the Duke offense in check like they had done early in the first quarter. In the third quarter, Greg Patchak exploded for three goals to break open the game. Patchak also added three first-half assists.
T.J. Durnan provided another offensive spark, adding three goals for Duke as it cruised in the fourth quarter. Jamie Brodsky, a fan favorite, added another pair of goals as eight different Blue Devils scored goals in the win.
Duke now focuses its attention on second-seeded national champion Virginia, which begins its title defense Sunday.
"The team is excited," Cavalier coach Dom Starsia said. "We know it's not going to be an easy road, but we're excited that we now have something to focus on."
During the two teams' matchup earlier in the season, Duke came out with a clear lack of intensity and lost a disappointing 12-7 match. They were outscored 5-1 in the second quarter that day, which effectively sealed their fate.
If Sunday is to be different, the Blue Devils certainly have a daunting task ahead of them. Virginia's attack is considered among the elite in the nation. Conor Gill, who leads the highly touted unit, is regarded as one of the best attackers in the nation and he leads the Wahoos in scoring with 59 points.
Gill is joined on the attack with ACC player of the year Drew McKnight, who excels on the field as well as he does in the classroom. The ACC Honor Roll student has scored 28 goals and 24 assists this season, good for second on the team in scoring.
If the Blue Devils are to make the Final Four, they must also find a way to score against Derek Kenney. The sophomore allows just under seven goals an outing, and has frustrated many attackers.
Duke has played well lately and has won three consecutive matches. In those contests, they have outscored their opponents 48-10. However, the Cavaliers have been equally impressive, reeling off 12 consecutive wins since their opening day 13-12 loss to Syracuse.
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