The opening Faceoff
- Duke begins a three-game homestand Saturday at No. 16 Richmond. Faceoff is set for 1:00 PM at Robins Stadium on ESPN+.
- The Blue Devils are 6-1 against the Spiders, with three of the wins coming by one goal. Duke defeated Richmond 13-6 in 2021. The Spiders’ win came in the inaugural meeting in 2016.
- Coached by former Blue Devil Dan Chemotti, the Spiders are 5-2 overall and ranked 16th in the coaches poll. Richmond sports the nation’s highest scoring defense, allowing just 7.71 goals per game. The Spiders are just as dangerous offensively, averaging 15.9 goals per game to rank eighth nationally.
- Thirteen Blue Devils scored in a 21-6 midweek win over Richmond on Wednesday. Dyson Williams led the powerful attack with five goals while Brennan O’Neill recorded two goals and three assists. Duke held Providence to just one goal in the first half and Jake Naso was dominant on the faceoff, winning 13 of 16 restarts.
- Duke continues its tough road next week, traveling to No. 6 Syracuse (March 20) and No. 7 Denver (March 24). Duke closes out the month against Boston U. (March 27).
With the numbers
906 – Career Hits by Jake Naso – most in Duke history and one of nine in NCAA history to reach the benchmark and eight of eighth
14.76 – Average points per game for Duke’s starting offense Brennan O’Neill, Dyson Williams and Josh Zavada
.594 – Freshman Goaltender To Patrick Jamieson save percentage through eight games, fifth nationally
.673 – Richmond goalie Zach Vig’s save percentage, highest in the nation
18.63 – Goals per game average for Duke – highest in the nation by more than one goal per game
7.71 – Richmond’s goals allowed per game average, lowest nationally
48 – Goals scored by Duke in first quarters this season – most in any four quarters
181 & 179 – Career goals for Dyson Williams and Brennan O’Neill second and third respectively among active DI players
269 - Career points for Brennan O’Neillfifth in Duke history and 31st of the fourth Blue Devil to hit 300
.355 – Richmond’s hitting percentage for the season
.252 – Duke’s opponents’ hitting percentage for the season with just one shooting over 33 percent in a game this season
History of the series
- Duke and Richmond are meeting for the eighth time since the inaugural game in 2016. The Blue Devils are 6-1 overall and have won six straight, including a 13-6 victory in 2021. Three of Duke’s six wins have come by a lone goal win, including a 16-15 overtime win in 2020.
A win over Richmond would…
- Be a head coach John Danowski467th career win
- It would be Danowski’s 248th win at Duke
- Be the program’s 637th win overall
Duke on the road
- The Blue Devils are 2-0 in true away games this season. Duke is 59-25 on the road under the head coach John Danowski. Since 2007, Duke has gone undefeated on the road just twice – 2009 and 2010. Duke has played five straight games on the road this season.
What gives?
- Saturday’s contest between Duke and Richmond features plenty of interesting matchups, pitting two of the nation’s top-scoring offenses against top defensive units.
- Both teams have goalkeepers with impressive save percentages. Richmond backstop Zach Vig has a .673 save percentage, while Duke’s Patrick Jamieson is at .594.
| UR GPG | GO AWAY | UR Hit % | YOU UP. shot % |
| 15.86 | 9.5 | 0.355 | 0.252 |
| YOU GPG | UR GAA | DU Shot% | UR Opp. shot % |
| 18.63 | 7.71 | 0.406 | 0.226 |
| YOU FOR% | UR FO% | YOU GB/GM | WATCH GB/GM |
| 0.586 | 0.516 | 37.88 | 30.29 |
Against ranked opponents
- Since 2007, Duke is 133-58 (.696) against USILA opponents in the top 20. The Blue Devils are scheduled to play eight teams ranked in the current USILA poll.
Next up
- Duke opens ACC play with a midweek matchup against No. 6 Syracuse. Faceoff at the JMA Wireless Dome is set for 7:00 p.m
To keep up with Blue Devils men’s lacrosse, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching “https://goduke.com/news/2024/3/15/DukeMLAX.”
Duke Centenary
In 2024, Duke celebrates its centennial, marking one hundred years since Trinity College became Duke University. Duke will use this historic milestone to deepen understanding of its history, instill pride and strengthen relationships and partnerships, and prepare for a second century of continued excellence and impactful leadership. To learn more, please visit 100.duke.edu
#Good week
