Duke vs. Louisville: A Clash at Koskinen Stadium
This Sunday, No. 15 Duke is set to welcome Louisville to Freeman Field at Koskinen Stadium for an exciting ACC showdown. The opening draw is at noon, and fans can catch the action live on ACCNX.
The Blue Devils, sitting at 5-3 overall and 2-2 in conference play, have surged in the rankings. A commanding 17-6 win over then-No.
11 Boston College and a nail-biting 11-10 loss to No. 2 Stanford have propelled them up seven spots in the latest IWLCA poll.
Historically, Duke has dominated this matchup, boasting an 11-2 record against the Cardinals, including a perfect 5-0 at home.
Key Players and Stats
Junior Ellie White is a standout for Duke, with 184 career draw controls, tying her for fifth all-time in the program. She's just one draw control away from claiming sole possession of that spot and 43 away from breaking into the top four.
Offensively, Avery Doran leads the charge with 22 goals, closely followed by Ava Biancardi with 21 and Quinn Whitaker with 19. Doran's precision is notable, ranking second in the ACC and seventh nationally in shot percentage at .647. Whitaker is making waves too, tying for eighth among freshmen with her 19 goals.
By the Numbers
- 1: Ellie White's ACC ranking in total draw controls (84).
- 5: Goals scored by Ava Biancardi against Stanford, matching her career high.
- 6: Blue Devils with double-digit goals this season.
- 12: Career-high saves by Hope Schoudel at Stanford.
- 19: Assists by Eva Pronti, placing her 15th in the NCAA.
- 369: Career wins for head coach Kerstin Kimel, with 365 at Duke.
Rankings and Rivalry
Duke's strong performances have earned them a No. 15 spot in the IWLCA poll, No. 13 in Inside Lacrosse, and 19th by USA Lacrosse Magazine.
In their last encounter, Duke triumphed 17-7 over Louisville in Kentucky. The Cardinals, at 4-4 overall and 1-3 in the ACC, are coming off two consecutive wins against Florida State and Cincinnati.
Scouting Louisville
The Cardinals are led by Ella Berg, who has 19 goals and 5 assists. Reese Whiteman and Charlotte Jackson also contribute significantly to their offense. Defensively, Cate Kangas and Avery Johnston are key, with Kangas leading in ground balls.
In goal, Haley Richards has been solid, starting all eight games and recording 99 saves with a .521 save percentage.
Looking Ahead
After this weekend, Duke will face Harvard in a non-conference matchup on Tuesday, March 17, at 5 p.m., also streaming on ACCNX. Expect more thrilling lacrosse action as the Blue Devils continue their campaign.