When it rains, it pours.
Such describes the season for the women's lacrosse team, and their most recent game from the ACC Tournament, a 12-8 loss to No. 4 North Carolina.
The rain began with a cold drizzle in February when All-American Kate Kaiser went down with a season-ending injury. Duke persevered all the way to a No. 1 national ranking, despite perilous clouds looming in the disguise of still more injuries.
Lightning struck, and All-American Meghan Walters was lost for the season with injury. Another thunderclap and starting defender Amanda Hughes was stricken with a knee injury. Freshman Kristy Dirks and Courtney Fischer had their 2002 campaign dampened when a collarbone break and injured leg muscle ended their year, as well.
Despite the significant losses of so many players, the Blue Devils managed to garner a respectable 7-5 record and No. 7 national ranking. Throughout the season, Duke's players and coaches remained optimistic and refused to make excuses, even though their top two players were out and their depth was depleted. Working harder and playing longer than any had anticipated in the preseason, Duke was earning its wins and fighting valiantly in its losses.
North Carolina delivered Duke's first loss of the season back in March
If this was not motivation enough, former Duke player Francoise Gordon returned to Durham for the first time since being hit by a car in June. Gordon, who has undergone many major surgeries since being in a month-long coma, sat on the sidelines with her teammates the entire game offering support with her presence alone.
"For us to see her, it's just really great, and great for the team to see her too," senior Kristen Foster said.
Duke welcomed Gordon with some of its best lacrosse of the season. Flawless play in the first 30 minutes was highlighted by smart passing, stingy defense, indefatigable play and a 5-2 Duke advantage.
"We had a really good warm up," senior Kelly Dirks said.
A thunderstorm at the 10-minute mark led to a delay of 1 hour and 48 minutes. The result was a cooling in temperatures and in Duke's play, as the Tar Heels outshot, outscored, outhustled and outplayed the Blue Devils in the remaining 40 minutes of play.
"In the last 10 minutes [of the first half], we had some momentum killers that dragged us down," Dirks said. "Key turnovers, not getting the draw, ground balls. Things we are, typically very good at; things we, typically, dominate."
North Carolina's team marched out from the locker room chanting, "Whose house? Heels' house." They scored three quick goals before halftime, while Duke managed just one more as Dirks tossed in her third score of the game to maintain Duke's lead.
It did not last, though, as the Tar Heels outscored Duke 10-3 in the final period. North Carolina rained shots on Duke after the break, outshooting the Blue Devils 33-8. The Tar Heels won ground balls 29-9 and took the air out of the Duke attack.
Coach Kerstin Kimel's squad scored twice more in the last 10 minutes of the game, but it was too late--the floodgates had opened.
"I was very disappointed with how we came out and responded [to the delay]," Kimel said. "We basically made too many mistakes in the second half."
Goalie Kristen Foster, who was magnificent and kept Duke close with 12 saves on 44 shots, just thought Duke lost itself in the second stanza.
"We got away from our game plan, and we let a lot of fast-break goals come down the field," Foster said.
"We weren't very organized on the defensive end, and we didn't control the ball very well on the offensive end.... I definitely think we had the intensity [after the delay], but as we started playing badly, we lost a lot of it."
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