Remember when Duke used to lose a couple of head scratching games early in the season? Not this year.
The loaded Duke roster continues to live up to the hype as the No. 1 ranked Blue Devils raced past Jacksonville 17-6 on Sunday to improve to a perfect 8-0 for the season, the school’s best start since 2008.
Duke has won its last six games by an average of 11.3 goals per game, but will face its biggest test of the season on Thursday when Syracuse comes to Durham for a nationally-televised game on the ACC Network.
On Sunday, Duke’s newest additions delivered once again. Princeton graduate transfer Michael Sowers had a goal and six assists and star freshman Brennan O’Neill scored five goals while adding to his highlight reel with the behind-the-back score from Sowers.
This Brennan O’Neill guy is pretty good at lacrosse, huh?
— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) March 14, 2021
He’s now up to goals as No. 1 @DukeMLAX leads Jacksonville 16-2. pic.twitter.com/h5SzhNUAj0
Mike Adler, a graduate transfer from Saint Joseph’s, made two saves while allowing just two goals in one half of action to earn the victory.
Jacksonville goalie Jason Yoquinto made 16 saves and Curtis Goddard scored two goals for the Dolphins (3-3).
Ohio State Wins Rivalry Game Over Michigan
No. 15 Ohio State jumped out to an early 5-1 lead and kept rival Michigan at bay in a 13-10 victory. The win was the 500th in program history for the Buckeyes and improved their 2021 record to 2-2.
Griffin Hughes scored a pair of goals to help the Buckeyes to the early lead, but Michigan scored the final three goals of the first half to cut the OSU lead to 6-5 at intermission.
Ohio State answered the run, scoring three goals in the opening three minutes of the second half and did not allow Michigan to get closer than two goals the rest of the way.
Jack Myers (3g, 1a) and Tre Leclaire (2g, 2a) led the Buckeyes offense. Michael Boehm and Josh Zawada each scored three for Michigan (0-4).
Notable
No. 11 Lehigh held Bucknell scoreless in the first quarter and never took its foot off the gas in a convincing 18-6 Patriot League victory over the Bison. Kevin Gersbeck scored four for the Mountain Hawks (3-0, 2-0 Patriot) and James Spence made 15 saves.
No. 13 Massachusetts finally opened the season, beating Fairfield 13-9 behind a hat trick from Chris Connolly. Tied 6-6 at the half, the Minutemen (1-0, 1-0 CAA) scored five of the first six goals of the second half to take control.
Gorillas like the snow? Apparently so.
— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) March 14, 2021
Charlie O’Brien gives @UMassMLacrosse an 8-6 lead on Fairfield in the third quarter. pic.twitter.com/ppDHJCHR8I
Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Top 20 Scoreboard
No. 1 Duke 17, Jacksonville 6
No. 11 Lehigh 18, Bucknell 6
No. 13 Massachusetts 13, Fairfield 9
No. 15 Ohio State 13, Michigan 10
Other Scores
Stony Brook 13, NJIT 4
Villanova 20, St. John’s 8