Sparked by a huge second quarter run, No. 3 seed Duke (15-4) knocked off Colgate (14-4) 17-6 in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA tournament at PPL Park in Chester, Pa. With the victory Duke advances to championship weekend for the sixth consecutive season. The Blue Devils move on to face Maryland next Saturday at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Ma.
The Raiders, who entered play as one of the hottest teams in the country, put pressure on Duke early in the contest. After falling behind 4-2 to an energized Colgate squad, the Blue Devils mounted an emphatic run to put the game away. Duke’s offensive unit was sharp as the Blue Devils responded with 13 unanswered goals. Robert Rotanz led the way for Duke, tallying a career-high five goals and adding an assist. Eight different scorers notched goals for the Blue Devils in the contest.
Duke held Colgate scoreless for a 26:14 stretch that spanned from the end of the first quarter to the middle of the third. On the defensive end, Henry Lobb was stellar, holding Colgate’s Peter Baum, the nation’s leading scorer, to just one goal. Junior Dan Wigrizer was strong between the pipes. Though he was not tested often during Duke’s long run, Wigrizer faced significant action during the third period and recorded nine saves in the game, keeping the Raiders at bay when they attempted to claw back.
CJ Costabile was a force at the faceoff spot for the Blue Devils, winning 14 of 20 draws. Costabile also added 15 ground balls, many of which allowed Duke to control possession for the majority of the second and third periods as it broke the game open.
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