Pitt
2-6 (0-3ACC)
Duke
4-4 (1-2ACC)
Washington Nets Career Best Five Goals in Loss to Blue Devils
3/8/2024 8:09:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
DURHAM, NC – Junior Ava Washington recorded a first quarter hat trick and set a new career high with five goals, but the Panthers were unable to end Friday's strong performance with a win. Pitt and Duke battled back and forth through 60 minutes that ended in a Duke 13-11 win at Koskinen Stadium.
The Panthers were finally able to flip the opening script that has plagued their losses this year, and that was with a fast start. Washington started her scoring early, with a goal less than two minutes in off a cut to the goal and an Avery Moon feed. Duke leading goal scorer Katie DeSimone scored her first of the night less than 20 seconds later, but Pitt answered and captured some early momentum off of a Jenna Hendrickson goal and another from Washington. The two teams exchanged two goals a piece over the remaining seven plus minutes, which included Washington's third and Hendrickson's second.
Things slowed down in the second quarter with defense winning early. The first goal didn't come until 8:45 left in the half when Duke found the back of the net. The Blue Devils scored the next two to take a 6-5 lead before Washington struck with her fourth from another perfect pass by Moon.
Pitt came out of the halftime break firing, scoring the game's next three goals to take the 9-6 lead and the momentum. Moon dished her third assist of the night to Emily Coughlin only 23 seconds into play. Hendrickson and Maureen McNierney then broke down the Duke defense in successive possessions to stretch the lead to three. The Panthers had chances to further stress the Blue Devils, but were unable to do so and Duke took advantage. Duke netted three in the last nine minutes of the third quarter level the score at nine with 15 minutes remaining.
Duke made it a 6-0 scoring run by putting the first three goals of the past period into the net to take a 12-9 lead. The Panthers kept pushing though and scored the next goal when Coughlin connected with Sydney Naylor for a nice finish. DeSimone showed why she entered the game second in the nation in goals by scoring her seventh of the night to stall the Panther run. Washington did record her fifth with 2:32 left in the game to give Pitt a fighting chance, but that was all the Panthers were able to muster for their final come back.
Goalie Audrey Moran stood on her head at times and made the saves she needed to thanks to a tenacious Panther defense. She matched her career high in saves with 14 and now sits at 154 in her career. Moon's three assists are a season and career best for the freshman and Rachel Familetti put in a strong performance with a career best three caused turnovers defensively.
The Panthers have put two tough performances together and look to turn that into a win next time out, when they travel to Charlottesville March 16 to play Virginia.
