PITTSBURGH -- The Duquesne University lacrosse team used a 7-1 second-half scoring run to surge past visiting Eastern Michigan by a score of 16-13 on Thursday evening at Rooney Field in its home opener.

Mackenzie Leszczynski and Corinne Webb scored four goals apiece, while Lindsay Newton posted a hat trick to pace seven goal scorers for the Dukes (1-1). Emelie Curtis assisted on five of the DU goals, the most assists in a game by a Duke since March 3, 2019, and added one score for a team-leading six points in the victory.

Leszczynski, Newton, and Emma Raines added an assist each, as Duquesne assisted on eight of its 16 scores. Raines also had two goals, while Emily King and Chloe Holmes contributed one score apiece.

On defense, the Dukes recorded 24 caused turnovers - the most in a game since March 11, 2020. Hanna Pawela set a new single-game program record with 10 caused turnovers, while also scooping up a career-high eight ground balls.

Leszczynski got the scoring started with two goals in the opening five minutes, but EMU answered each time then rattled off five straight scores to take an early 6-2 advantage at the 13:49 mark of the second quarter.

The Dukes responded with four consecutive goals of their own to knot the game back up at six with five minutes left in the first half. Webb kickstarted the spurt firing one past the keeper inside the arc off a pass from Leszczynski, Raines netted both her goals during the run - coming four minutes apart, and Leszczynski added an early third goal at the 7:12 mark of the second quarter.

Webb became the second Duke to record a hat trick in the game with a women-up goal 2:44 before the half, but the Eagles held onto a narrow 8-7 lead at the break.

Newton, a grad transfer from Rutgers, scored her first goal in the Red and Blue early in the third quarter, but was not done there. The Pittsburgh native went on to score two more times for a third-quarter exclusive hat trick, including a shorthanded tally, in her first game on the Bluff.

The score stayed within two goals throughout in the back-and-forth third quarter. Curtis and Holmes followed Newton's third goal of the quarter for three straight DU goals to end the third quarter, putting the Dukes out in front 12-11 heading into the final 15 minutes of play.

After Eastern Michigan quickly tied the game at 12 to start the fourth quarter, Duquesne created separation with four goals in a row from Leszczynski, King, and back-to-back daggers by Webb. King's was the first of her collegiate career at the 7:12 mark to give the Dukes a two-goal cushion (14-12). The run, which spanned nearly 10 minutes, pushed DU's lead to 16-12 with less than a minute to play. Three of the four scores were assisted, including a pair of dimes from Curtis on both the Webb goals.

EMU coughed up a total of 32 turnovers for a +17 turnover margin for the Dukes - including a 10-1 turnover advantage in the third quarter. Along with Pawela's record-setting 10 CTs, Emily O'Donnell and Casey McBride each had three as 10 DU players had at least one caused turnover.

Duquesne outshot the Eagles 31-20 and 26-17 on goal thanks to a near doubling of EMU's shots in the second half (17-9 / 14-7 on goal). Leszczynski took nine - eight of which on target - and Webb fired eight with six on frame to lead the team.

Rachel O'Toole earned the win in the cage, playing all 60 minutes and making five saves.

The Dukes improve to 18-10 all-time in home openers with a 5-1 mark under Coach Desrosiers and 11-3 record when their home opener is not also their season opener.

UP NEXT 
Duquesne continues its four-game homestand with a matchup against Youngstown State next Thursday (Feb. 22). First draw is set for 4 pm at Rooney Field.

POSTGAME INTERVIEWS
Corinne Webb


Head Coach Corinne Desrosiers 


FOLLOW THE DUKES
Follow Duquesne Lacrosse all season online at GoDuquesne.com, as well as on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook (@DuqLax).