Ben Martindale, Staff Writer
VCU won 19-6 against Duquesne University following the tough loss to Elon University earlier in the week.
The Rams took control as soon as the game began, led by third-year attacker Sam Palmer who scored to get VCU on the board first less than one minute into the game.
VCU graduate student attacker Molly O’Kiefe was next to get in on the action, scoring just over a minute later to extend the VCU lead to two.
The Rams used swarming defense to force Dukes mistakes and capitalized offensively, running up a 6-0 lead halfway through the first quarter.
VCU’s O’Kiefe was electric early, posting a hat trick in the first quarter alone. At the end of the quarter the Rams sat on the winning end of a lopsided 9-0 lead.
VCU’s lead swelled to 11 to begin the second quarter thanks to goals from midfielders second-year Anika Bennett and first-year Maya Gibson.
The Rams continued to make plays offensively and defensively and by the eight-minute mark of the second quarter, extending their lead to 13.
A goal from fourth-year attacker Chloe Holmes with just under two minutes remaining in the second quarter marked the lone goal of the half for Duquesne, who went into halftime down 15-1.
Both teams went scoreless the first six minutes of the second half until Duquesne scored first to cut the lead to thirteen.
Duquesne scored again four minutes later, showing that despite the deficit it planned on competing until the final whistle.
Less than a minute later, fourth-year midfielder Kiley Kozak scored VCU’s first goal of the second half and increased the Rams lead to 16-3.
Duquesne started the final quarter with a quick goal, cutting the deficit to twelve.
The Rams responded a few minutes later with Bennett scoring her third goal of the day, increasing the VCU lead to 17-4.
The two teams traded goals through the rest of the fourth quarter with VCU remaining firmly in control. In the end, the Rams won in dominant fashion 19-6.
“It’s really nice when you have people who want it as much or more as the coaching staff does,” VCU head coach Nina Flores said. “I think that’s a huge indicator of success. It’s player led, it’s player run, and they know why they’re doing what they’re doing. They’re not little robots being told what to do all the time.”
VCU’s victory against Duquesne marks its fifth win in six games and ushers in the winningest season in VCU lacrosse history.
The Rams have just three games left on their schedule and look to remain hot entering the Atlantic 10 conference tournament at the end of the month.
The Rams are next in action on the road against the University of Rhode Island on Saturday April, 11 at 11 a.m.