INDIANAPOLIS - The Duquesne lacrosse team improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2013 with a 16-8 road win at Butler on Thursday evening. The Dukes (2-0) outscored the Bulldogs (0-1) 10-4 in the second frame en route to the road triumph.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Duquesne gained a 5-1 advantage after Courtney Battles netted her third goal of the contest just with just under nine minutes to play in the opening half.
• Butler countered with three straight goals to shrink the Dukes' lead to 5-4, before Carlee Braverman found the back of the cage with just 23 ticks showing on the first half clock to give Duquesne a 6-4 halftime edge.
• The Bulldogs scored two of the first three goals of the second half to cut the deficit to 7-6, before Megan Buettner scored three straight goals followed by a goal by Sarah Kollhoff to put the Dukes ahead 11-6 with 16:15 remaining.
• Butler stopped the run with a goal, but the red-hot Dukes scored four more unanswered goals, the first three from Kirsten Barnes and the fourth by Michaela Connolly to extend the Duquesne lead to 15-7.
• The Bulldogs responded with a score to end an 8-1 DU surge, before Elizabeth Petrosky tacked on her third goal of the season for Duquesne with just under seven minutes to play.

KEY STATS

• The Dukes outshot the Bulldogs 49-18 including 30-6 in the second half.
• Buettner led the Dukes with four goals and an assist, her second straight game with four goals.
• Barnes registered her third career hat trick in the win while Connolly added a pair of goals and an assist.
• Maddie Hart tallied 12 draw controls to lead all players, marking her fourth career game with at least 10 draw controls.
• As a team, the Dukes recorded a 19-7 edge in draw controls.
• Sydney Reed paced Duquesne with five ground balls and three caused turnovers.
• The Dukes capitalized on eight Butler cards, scoring five goals with the man-up advantage.

GAME NOTES

• Duquesne improves to 2-0 for the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2013. The Dukes also started 2-0 in 2007 and 4-0 in 1999.
• This was the first meeting between Duquesne and the Bulldogs.

NEXT UP

• Duquesne will host three straight home games beginning with a matchup with No. 10 Penn State on Wednesday, Feb. 20.
• The Dukes will then take on Saint Francis U on Feb. 27 and Detroit Mercy on March 3.