Duke Athletics kicked into high gear this weekend as the spring sports began NCAA tournament play. Nearly every team was in action, so here's a quick recap of what transpired and which Blue Devil teams are still left standing. You can read the full stories of each Duke squad when The Chronicle's first summer issue hits stands Thursday.
MEN'S LACROSSE: The No. 3 Blue Devils easily reeled off their eighth consecutive victory against Navy, 14-5, to advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament for the third straight year. Duke was bolstered by a balanced offensive performance and a stingy defense that kept the Midshipmen off the scorebard for the entire first half. The Blue Devils face off Sunday against No. 6 North Carolina, whom they have already defeated twice this season.
WOMEN'S LACROSSE: No. 5 Duke kept its bid for a fifth consecutive national semifinal appearance alive, but just barely, eking out an overtime victory over rival Virginia, 15-13. The win came at a price for the Blue Devils, however, as leading goal-scorer and Tewaaraton Trophy finalist Carolyn Davis went down five minutes into the game with a knee injury and didn't return. Her status is unclear for Duke's next game against No. 4 Pennsylvania, the team that knocked out the Blue Devils in the 2008 tournament.
WOMEN'S TENNIS: No. 3 Duke continued its scorching hot play by taking its 13th and 14th consecutive matches against Richmond and Virginia to advance to the round of 16. Melissa Mang, Mallory Cecil and Reka Zsilinszka are all riding double-digit win streaks in singles play for the Blue Devils, who--if they can defeat Arkansas--may be headed towards a quarterfinal clash with Miami, the last team to defeat Duke March 22.
MEN'S TENNIS: The Blue Devils started the weekend off strong, defeating Radford in their first round matchup. But they fell to No. 5 Tennessee in the second round to end head coach Ramsey Smith's first season at the helm. Despite the setback, the season isn't over for Reid Carleton and Kiril Dimitrov, who will compete in the NCAA individual championships.
WOMEN'S GOLF: Duke finds itself in an unfamiliar position heading into the NCAA championships. A sixth-place finish at the NCAA regionals ensures that the Blue Devils will be able to compete for their fourth national title in five years, but Duke did register its worst regional finish in 12 seasons. Nevertheless, this is the last opportunity for three-time National Player of the Year Amanda Blumenherst to win the elusive individual national crown, as well as the last hurrah for Jennie Lee, a three-time all-ACC winner.
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