The Duke men's and women's lacrosse teams introduced their new lineups in scrimmages Saturday in preparation for their first regular season games later this week.
Blue Devil head coach Mike Pressler was pleased with his team's effort against Hofstra.
"I was most pleased with our enthusiasm, our hunger for the loose ones, and for getting back to the physical defense that we've enjoyed around here for many years," he said.
The men's team is young, playing many freshman and sophomores, and the underclassmen satisfied Pressler with their efforts. The coach added that the team needs to cut down on its turnovers, specifically in its clearing game.
"We are very optimistic that this team can be very competitive nationally, but we kind of just need to get back to taking it one day at a time, one play at a time, and not get too caught up in the big picture."
The Duke and North Carolina women's lacrosse teams hosted the eighth annual South of the Border Tournament this past weekend. Duke played several short scrimmages against Georgetown, the Japanese National Team and James Madison. The Blue Devils also played a full-length game against Virginia midday.
"I think overall I'm pleased with our performance," head coach Kerstin Kimel said Saturday. "Am I satisfied? No, but I don't think they are either."
Kimel was happy with the way the team made adjustments between games, especially after beginning the day slowly against the Hoyas. In addition, Kimel and her staff were impressed with the team's offensive showing.
"I thought we scored well, which is something we struggled with last year," Kimel said. "We finished well and we had good opportunities."
Recognizing that Saturday was just a scrimmage, Kimel is optimistic about the upcoming season.
"It's only February 14th, and we are shooting for May 14th and later," Kimel said. "As long as we appreciate that perspective and know that we have a lot of room to grow. This just shows us how good we can be."
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