Cards Fall Short Against No. 12 Duke

Saturday, April 12

Louisville, Ky.

2:00 PM

University of Louisville

7-9, 1-7ACC

Duke

12-3, 6-2ACC

Duke

Louisville

Louisville celebrated senior day on Saturday prior to the game against Duke

Photo by: Rachel Klotz | Louisville Athletics

April 12, 2025 | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score Postgame interview with Coach Scott Teeter, Ava Coyle and Abby Scully

Maggie McMahon registers a hat trick in the Cardinals’ home finale, but Cards fall 17-7 to No. 12 Duke

By: Lori Harmon

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Junior Maggie McMahon delivered her second hat trick of the season of the season, but the Cardinals fell 17-7 to No. 12 Duke in an Atlantic Coast Conference contest on Saturday at UofL Lacrosse Stadium.

"I thought we battled for 60 minutes," said UofL head coach Scott Teeter. "Duke is a very good team, a talented team and a very deep team. We played a lot of defense today and we took them deep into the possession clock and we came close on a few possessions that Duke was able to execute. They played really hard defensively today and we really were just a little too far in between making plays on the offensive end. We had some really good moments, but Duke definitely made us pay for our mistakes today."

Along with McMahon's offensive performance, junior Negai Nakazawa tallied a goal and an assist while seniors Abby Scully, Lauren Figas and Izzy Seikel also scored in their final game at UofL Lacrosse Stadium. Senior J Pleck collected eight saves to close her career at home.

The Blue Devils (12-3, 6-2 ACC) took a 2-0 lead with goals by Carly Bernstein and Mattie Shearer in the first seven minutes of the opening quarter. The Cardinals broke through in the 10^th minute of play as McMahon connected on an assist from Charlotte Jackson to cut the lead in half. Duke answered with a trio of goals, extending the lead to 5-1, but Figas fired a shot into the net with 1:05 on the clock for her 18th goal of season to cap the first quarter scoring.

Louisville (7-9, 1-7 ACC) carried that momentum into the second quarter with Nakazawa setting up McMahon for her second goal of the game to make the score 5-3. Duke proceeded to tally five unanswered goals before Scully converted on a free position shot with just under a minute left to play in the frame to make it a 10-3 game entering halftime.

The Blue Devils added four more goals in the third quarter, bringing the score to 14-4 entering the final frame. After quick goal by Eva Pronti extended Duke's lead, the Cards notched back-to-back goals by Nakazawa and McMahon. Duke countered, but Izzy Seikel answered with her 16^th goal of the season. The Blue Devils tacked one more goal in the closing minute of the contest for the 17-7 final.

In the game, Duke held the advantage in shots (33-19), shots on goal (25-19) and draw controls (18-8). The teams were even with 12 turnovers and 10 ground balls apiece. Freshman Olivia Scroggie earned three draw controls while Negai collected three to move her career total to 97. Seikel picked up two ground balls and Figas had three caused turnovers to lead the Cardinals.

Bernstein paced Duke offensively with six goals and two assists as Kennedy Everson posted five saves en route to the win.

The Cardinals will return to action on Thursday with a trip to South Bend to take on No. 25 in their regular season finale.