Behind the outstanding play of starting attackmen Greg Patchak, Alex Lieske and Mack Hardaker, the No. 11 Duke lacrosse team soundly defeated 12th-ranked Brown 16-10 Saturday, improving to 5-2 on the season. In leading Duke to its first victory over a nationally ranked opponent this season, the attack triumvirate combined to score 12 goals, including five each from Patchak and Hardaker.
"Our attack really came through today," head coach Mike Pressler said. "We were starving for a win around here. We were 4-2, but I told the guys we were 0-2 [because] we didn't have a win against a ranked opponent."
Duke's previous two contests against ranked foes resulted in bitterly disappointing losses to Maryland and Loyola, the nation's third and fifth-ranked teams, respectively. Last weekend's loss to Loyola proved especially disappointing, as the Blue Devils squandered a multitude of scoring opportunities and lost 10-8 to the visiting Greyhounds. The defeat prompted a team meeting and a renewed focus towards the basics of lacrosse, a mindset that led to Duke's impressive victory Saturday.
"I think we just played fundamentally sound today," said Kevin Cassesse, a midfielder who contributed two goals to Duke's scoring onslaught. "The coaches brought us together after the Loyola game, showed us the film, and showed us exactly what we have to do [to win]. We went out in practice and concentrated on stick work and shooting, on all the fundamentals, and used [last week] to get better."
Hardaker concurred with his teammate.
"This week we had our best offensive practice," he said. "When you practice well, you win. It's as simple as that."
The team's hard work produced clear dividends Saturday, as the Blue Devils blew Brown away early with an awesome offensive display. After allowing an opening goal to the Bears' Christopher Muccioli, the Blue Devils scored the game's next 11 goals to seize an 11-1 halftime advantage. Duke tallied eight goals in the second quarter alone, including seven in a dizzying seven-minute stretch that saw Patchak score three goals in 63 seconds.
Perhaps the key element to the Blue Devils' offensive explosion was the performance of Hardaker, a sophomore whose five goals gave him a team-leading 15 for the season.
"The nature of my position is to score goals, that's why I'm on the field," he said. "My goals are the end result of a long play that begins on the defensive end. Everyone on this team has a role, and mine is to catch the ball and shoot."
As a freshman last season, Hardaker could only watch from the sidelines as senior All-American T.J. Durnan scored 42 goals in the position Hardaker now occupies. Yet despite not registering a single point last year, Hardaker is not at all surprised with his success this season.
"When you step into a spot like this you can't be surprised to be there. We were all brought in here by coach Pressler because we can play, and you have to be confident that when you get your shot that you can play, you can do it."
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