For 30 seasons, Kerstin Kimel has been a mainstay in the best conference for college lacrosse. Sunday morning, she etched her name yet again into the Duke record books with her 350th victory.
The 19th-ranked Blue Devils dismantled Xavier in Koskinen Stadium 16-9, fighting through a physical contest that included eight green cards and a yellow card from the visitors. This followed an 11-9 conference win against No. 17 Notre Dame Friday. Against the Musketeers, the defensive duo of juniors Sydney Smith and Madison Beale locked down their own zone, while both veterans and freshmen relentlessly attacked on the other end.
“I called it a fugly February win,” Kimel said.
“It just means I've been coaching a long time,” she said of her 350-win milestone, a mark that ranks her sixth among active Division I coaches.
It took a few minutes for both offenses to get going. Beale had two ground balls in the first four minutes, both turnovers she either directly or indirectly forced. It was the Musketeers who finally broke through, as Julie Cassidy drove up from behind the net and snuck the ball past redshirt junior goalkeeper Kennedy Everson. Duke had no immediate answer, but senior midfielder Mattie Shearer was just getting started. Her first goal of the day came on a Callie Hem assist. The graduate attacker passed up to Shearer from goal-line extended, and Shearer’s quick extension was enough for her shot to get past Teegan Lannon. Shearer’s next was unassisted, as she cut into the 8-meter on her own and fired it into the back of the net.
Kirra Crowley for Xavier tied the score at two, but freshman Maddie MacDonald and senior Carly Bernstein each scored in the final minute of the first quarter to take the lead back for good. Bernstein’s goal was an unassisted beauty to the opposite top corner, and MacDonald’s was off a series of quick passes between herself, senior Kerry Nease and Shearer, bouncing the ball between the three of them until MacDonald had a big enough opening.
“I am impressed by how much they care. I am impressed by how much work they do, both on and off the field and when no one's looking,” Kimel said of seniors Bernstein and Shearer. “I think that's really put them in a position to lead and perform at the level they're performing right now.”
From then on, it was never in question. The Blue Devils dominated the second quarter, outscoring their opponent 6-2 with five different goal scorers. Shearer notched her third for the early hat trick, and Hem found the back of the net for her 150th career score. All six of Duke’s second-quarter goals were assisted as the offense again and again sent someone cutting directly in front of the crease for a quick stick.
“What I really like is our scoring is pretty balanced. We have everybody, everybody contributing. I think that makes us dangerous,” Kimel said.
Hem also ended the day with a hat trick, and Beale’s four caused turnovers were more than half of Xavier’s total, and that doesn’t include her disruptions. While there were messy moments, like offsetting yellow cards in the final minutes of the fourth quarter on Adele Swanson and Megan Droney, the Blue Devils’ whole-team effort kept them confidently on top.
Friday afternoon, Duke took on ACC foe Notre Dame at home. The Blue Devils have been on the wrong side of those games the past few seasons, and had not the Fighting Irish since the 2022 regular season. It was Notre Dame who ended Duke’s ACC Tournament run that year as well, and the two had not played a close contest since.
“Notre Dame graduated everybody, but they’re still Notre Dame,” Kimel said. “It doesn't mean they're gonna suck. They're still gonna come and compete.”
While the Fighting Irish got on the board first, the Blue Devils were determined not to get down big early. Bernstein, ever the veteran, began the Duke run, and MacDonald and Sadie Stafford followed suit. Kristen Shanahan tallied the first three goals for Notre Dame, but the Blue Devils remained in front into the third quarter. After Shearer’s goal four-and-a-half minutes in, Duke went cold, and its two-goal lead turned into its first deficit since the opening minutes. Over the next eight-plus minutes, it only took two shots and gave up three goals. Madison Rassas, Emma Murphy and Angie Conley each tallied one, putting the Fighting Irish up 8-7.
Hem and Pronti then doubled up — the redshirt freshman assisted the graduate transfer twice to end the third and begin the fourth. Hem’s goals put the Blue Devils on top for good, and while Shearer, Rassas and Goodwin each scored for their respective teams, the home team held on.
“I was really pleased with the composure our kids saw … The girls' mindsets were great. And I thought we did what we needed to do to win the game,” Kimel said.
Kimel and her Blue Devils will hit the road, heading to No. 12 Clemson for a Saturday afternoon showdown.
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Rachael Kaplan is a Trinity senior and a senior editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.