No. 7 Duke started the season as the second-ranked team in the nation and a favorite to make the national championship game. After three losses in their first five games, including a 13-7 defeat to rival North Carolina in Durham March 10, the Blue Devils no longer looked like a championship contender.
Ever since that loss, though, head coach John Danowski’s squad has raised its level of play, and the results show it. Duke (6-3) went into then-No. 9 Loyola’s home field March 13 and walked away with an 8-5 victory. In their next two games, the Blue Devils outscored Penn State and Dartmouth by a combined score of 35-14.
Saturday’s 15-10 victory over No. 10 Georgetown (4-3) in the nation’s capital, however, may have been the Blue Devils’ best win yet.
The Hoyas entered the game 4-2 on the season, with their two losses coming in the forms of a two-goal defeat at home against No. 4 Maryland and a three-goal loss at No. 2 Syracuse. Nevertheless, Duke dominated the fourth quarter to earn the win.
Senior Max Quinzani and junior Zach Howell each netted three goals and dished out one assist while senior Ned Crotty had three assists to go along with his fourth- quarter goal.
The biggest goals, though, came from junior Tom Montelli, who notched his two tallies in the third period. His first came just 14 seconds after the Hoyas had scored to go up 8-6. The Blue Devils then tied the game up on a goal from redshirt sophomore Justin Turri.
With just one second remaining in the third quarter, Montelli struck again. Off a pass from Howell, Montelli slotted the ball past Georgetown goalie Jack Davis to give the Blue Devils a 10-9 lead entering the final period.
Just 17 seconds into the fourth quarter, senior Sam Payton scored his only goal of the game, and the Blue Devils never looked back. Duke outshot Georgetown 14-7 and outscored the Hoyas 5-1 in the last period as the Blue Devils earned their fourth consecutive victory.
Freshman goalie Dan Wigrizer had another impressive outing with 13 saves, including a couple of clutch stops during the first half when the Hoyas outshot Duke 24-11. The freshman leads the ACC in saves with 94 and has given up just 24 goals in his past three games.
The Blue Devils faced high expectations entering the 2010 campaign, and after a weak start, they are looking more likely to live up to them.
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