Any good team is measured by how well it responds to a loss.
After a tough defeat to Georgetown March 14, Wednesday's game against Virginia Tech provided the Blue Devils the opportunity to return to form as they reentered conference play.
And they did not disappoint.
The closest the Hokies (4-5, 0-2 in the ACC) came to leading the match was right after the opening faceoff as No. 7 Duke pummeled Virginia Tech 21-3 at Koskinen Stadium. The convincing victory marked the Blue Devils' first ACC win and improved their all-time record against the Hokies to 11-0.
Senior Carolyn Davis led the attack for Duke (7-2, 1-1) as she netted five goals, including four tallies in the first half. Davis also added two assists and played an active role in distributing the ball and involving her teammates on offense.
Within the first minute, senior captain Caroline Cryer scored for the Blue Devils and started a heavy influx of goals that would continue for the rest of the afternoon. The match was the most balanced offensive performance for the team this season with 13 different players posting a tally.
In addition to the two seniors, nine other Blue Devils scored in the first half, which ended with Duke leading the Hokies 13-0.
"I was pleased that we were distributing the ball well," head coach Kerstin Kimel said. "One of the things we didn't do well at Georgetown was that we didn't create well enough for ourselves and we got back to some fundamentals on offense.... I was really pleased that so many kids contributed today."
The entire roster played in Wednesday's game, and even after the team's substitutes entered the contest for the starters, the Blue Devils did not miss a step on the attack. The blowout victory seems to have put Kimel's squad back on track.
"We will be remembered for how we responded after the last game," Kimel said. "This was an opportunity to come out and do that. Our whole focus this week has been to worry about trying to play well, and that's how we came out and played today. I am really pleased with the outcome."
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