Duke Spoils Loyola's Stadium Debut

from press release

Ned Crotty had a goal and four assists as Duke got back on the winning track with an 8-5 win at Loyola. © John Strohsacker/LaxPhotos.com

BALTIMORE, Md. - The 10th-ranked Duke University men's lacrosse team held ninth-ranked Loyola scoreless for 30 minutes en route to an 8-5 victory over the Greyhounds this afternoon in front of 6,000 fans at the grand opening of the Ridley Athletic Complex. The five goals allowed are the fewest by the Blue Devils this season.

Duke freshman goaltender Dan Wigrizer finished with 12 saves, while seniors Ned Crotty and Max Quinzani paced the offense with a combined nine points. Crotty posted one goal and four assists and Quinzani completed the day with four tallies. He pushes his scoring streak to 52 games and the four goals marks the sixth time this season he has scored at least three goals in a game.

Defense was the name of the game in the first half for the Blue Devils, which improves to 3-3, as it held the Greyhounds to just one goal in 30 minutes of action. Wigrizer was outstanding in the first half, making eight stops.

The Greyhounds scored first with a tally from Collin Finnerty 5:03 into the game. Finnerty finished with a team-high three goals for the game. Duke senior midfielder Michael Catalino responded to even the score with 1:41 left in the quarter, as the two squads headed into the first break knotted at one apiece.

The Duke defense kept the clamps on Loyola's attack, while the Blue Devil offense started to hit its stride in the second quarter. Senior Steve Schoeffel jump-started a five-goal run that spanned 7:53 just over seven minutes into the frame with his second goal of the season. The assist came from the stick of Crotty, the first of his four on the afternoon.

Crotty registered a marker of his own less than two minutes later on a fast-break pass from senior defenseman Parker McKee. The Blue Devils added two more goals in the final 1:35, including a man-down score from Quinzani, to go in front 5-1 at the half. McKee had a strong all-around outing, finishing with an assist, 10 ground balls and three caused turnovers as an anchor to the defense.

The Blue Devils closed out its five-goal run 10 seconds into the third quarter with a third tally from Quinzani.

Loyola put an end to its scoreless stretch, 5:33 into the third quarter with a score from Cooper MacDonell. The goal was the Greyhounds first in 30:30, the longest stretch this season Duke has held a team scoreless.

The Blue Devil defense continued to hold off the Greyhounds and added one more goal in the fourth quarter to ice the 8-5 victory.

Duke won the ground ball battle, 40-35, but it was Loyola controlling the action at the faceoff X by winning 13-of-17 restarts. The Greyhounds had a 36-28 edge in shots, while Loyola goaltender Jake Hagelin made eight stops. Defensively, Duke held the Greyhounds to just one man-up score on four opportunities.