PITTSBURGH -- The Duquesne University lacrosse team wrapped up its 2024 season on Saturday afternoon, dropping a 15-5 decision to Davidson in conference action at Rooney Field.

It was a hot start for Duquesne as it jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, thanks to a pair of scores from junior Mackenzie Leszczynski. The Wildcats would respond with consecutive goals to knot the score before redshirt sophomore Corinne Webb was successful on a free-position shot to regain the lead for the Dukes, 3-2. Davidson would net a pair of scores and take a 4-3 advantage after the opening 15 minutes.

In the second quarter, the Wildcats would find the back of the net twice in the first five minutes to extend its lead, 6-3. After a foul on Davidson, Leszczynski tallied her sixth hat trick of the season at the 7:20-mark on a free-position opportunity to trim the deficit. The Wildcats would post two more goals and take an 8-4 advantage into the break.

It was a slow start to the second half as the two teams went scoreless in the first eight minutes. Davidson would go on to score two more goals to extended its lead, 10-4 with 4:42 remaining in the quarter. The Dukes would bounce back after Webb netted her second free-position opportunity of the afternoon and would trail 11-5 heading to the final frame. The Wildcats would shutout the Dukes in the fourth quarter, while scoring four time to take the victory.

Leszczynski paced the Dukes on offense, netting three goals while ending the season by scoring in 17 consecutive games. She registered her sixth hat trick of the year and finishes the campaign with a team-high 36 scores. Webb tallied two goals on six shots, giving her a score in six of the final seven games of the year. She finished the season with 34 markers, tabbing her second on the team.

After collecting two caused turnovers on Saturday, junior Hanna Pawela totaled 64 for the season, which is a Duquesne single-season record, surpassing Meghan Hungate's record from 1998 of 57 CTs. Her three ground balls puts her second all-time in front of Katie Harne (2001) with 70. Sophomore Casey McBride led the defensive attack, posting a season-high six caused turnovers and six ground balls while graduate student Jillian Caroselli and senior Emily O'Donnell each tallied three apiece.

The Dukes end the season with a 7-10 overall record and a 2-7 mark against conference foes. With seven wins, Duquesne has improved by five victories from last season, which is tied for the largest increase in one year in program history.

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