Duke's Road Challenge Begins Against Virginia Tech
The Duke Blue Devils are gearing up for a crucial three-game road stretch, kicking off with a Saturday matinee against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. Set for noon, this ACC clash will stream live on ACCNX.
Duke stands at 6-4 overall and 3-2 in conference play as they head into their 30th matchup against the Hokies. Historically, the Blue Devils have dominated this series with a 25-4 record, including 10 wins out of 11 on the road.
Freshman standout Quinn Whitaker is turning heads in her debut season. Ranked No. 5 on Inside Lacrosse's Early Season Freshman Impact Rankings, Whitaker has been a force with 24 goals, six hat tricks, and a shooting percentage of .600. Her performance places her second in the ACC and 16th nationally in shooting percentage.
Junior Ellie White has been a powerhouse in draw controls, leading the ACC with 99 total and averaging 9.90 per game, placing her 12th in the NCAA. With 199 career draw controls, she’s on the brink of becoming just the fifth Blue Devil to surpass 200.
By the Numbers:
- 1: Ellie White's ACC ranking in draw controls.
- 2: Players hitting career milestones against Harvard: Avery Doran (50 goals) and Amanda Paci (50 caused turnovers).
- 4: Blue Devils in the NCAA top 25 individual stats, including Eva Pronti in assists and Quinn Whitaker in shooting percentage.
- 5: Consecutive hat tricks by Ava Biancardi.
- 6: Blue Devils with double-digit goals this season.
- 12: Duke's Inside Lacrosse ranking.
- 15: Duke's IWLCA ranking.
- 17: Duke's USA Lacrosse Magazine ranking.
- 199: Career draw controls by Ellie White, fifth all-time for Duke.
Rankings and Recognition:
Duke is solidly ranked across multiple top-25 polls, highlighting their strong presence in the lacrosse landscape. They are currently No. 15 in the IWLCA poll, No. 12 by Inside Lacrosse, and 17th by USA Lacrosse Magazine.
Whitaker's Impact:
Quinn Whitaker has quickly become a key player for Duke, starting all 10 games and delivering consistent performances. Her career-best four goals against Johns Hopkins, including clutch plays in the final moments, underscore her potential and poise under pressure.
Milestone Watch:
- Head Coach Kerstin Kimel is approaching 375 career wins.
- Caitlin Barrett is 15 points shy of 50 career points.
- Ava Biancardi is nearing 50 career goals.
- Avery Doran is close to 50 career assists and 100 points.
- Bella Goodwin is working towards 100 career goals and 50 assists.
- Amanda Paci is nearing 50 ground balls.
- Eva Pronti is 14 assists away from 100 career assists.
- Ellie White is on the cusp of 200 career draw controls.
Scouting Virginia Tech:
Duke faces a Hokies team with a 7-4 record and a 2-3 mark in ACC play. Virginia Tech is riding a three-game winning streak, including a solid victory over Florida State. Lauren Render leads their offense, while Zoe Stencil anchors the defense with 19 caused turnovers.
Following this matchup, Duke continues their road trip with a non-conference game against Elon on March 23, streamed on FloCollege.