PITTSBURGH — The Duquesne University lacrosse team wraps up non-conference play on Thursday afternoon hosting Mercyhurst at Rooney Field.

GAMEDAY INFO
Feb. 27, 2025 • 2:00 PM • Rooney Field (Pittsburgh, PA)

Duquesne Dukes (2-2, 0-0 A-10)
Roster • Schedule • Stats

• Streak: L1
• Last Game: L, 17-11 vs. Saint Francis (Sat. Feb. 22)
• Next Game: Sat. Mar. 8 vs. George Washington (1 pm)

Mercyhurst Lakers (0-1, 0-0 NEC)
Roster • Schedule • Stats

• Streak: L1
• Last Game: L, 17-7 vs. Lindenwood (Mon. Feb. 10)
• Next Game: Sun. Mar. 2 at Furman (2 pm)

GAMEDAY LINKS

• WATCH ON ESPN+
• LIVE STATS
• DUQ GAME NOTES

SERIES HISTORY

• Duquesne leads 3-0
• Last Meeting: Apr. 20, 1999 at DUQ - W, 18-3
• First Meeting: Apr. 22, 1997 at DUQ - W, 12-11
• Streak: W3
• Home/Away Record: (H) 2-0 / (A) 1-0
• Notes: First meeting in 2000s ... Series was played three straight years from 1997-1999 ... This is Mercyhurst's first Division I season.

LAST TIME OUT

• Duquesne opened its three-game homestand last Saturday, falling 17-11 to Saint Francis.
• Corinne Webb scored four goals for the second straight game ... Emma Raines and Chelsea Evans netted three each ... Mackenzie Leszczynski extended her scoring streak to 20 games with a goal and two assists.
• Gracin Emerson dished out a game-high four assists, her second game with four or more this season … Evans added two assists for a five-point outing along with six draw controls.
• Hanna Pawela had a career-high eight draw controls to lead all players.
• Dukes led 1-0 early, but seven straight Red Flash goals put them in front for good … DU cut the deficit to three in the fourth, but Saint Francis answered with four straight to seal it.

ATLANTIC 10 WEEKLY NODS

• Redshirt junior Corinne Webb earned A-10 Offensive Player of the Week after back-to-back four-goal games, including the game-winning goal at Youngstown State last Wednesday ... Five of Webb's eight goals in the two games came in the second half, four of which in the fourth quarter.
• First-year midfielder Mia Piocquidio was named A-10 Rookie of the Week after scoring twice in her college debut at Akron.

SCOUTING MERCYHURST

• First season as a Division I program.
• Opened DI era with a 17-7 loss to Lindenwood on Feb. 10 ... Fell behind 7-0 early in the second quarter and could not overcome the deficit ... 2024 PSAC West First Team selection Whitley Easton led the Lakers with three goals.
• Have not played since, with 17 days between games.
• Went 4-12 (3-9 PSAC) last season in Division II as a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.
• Picked ninth of 10 in the Northeast Conference (NEC) preseason poll.

NON-CONFERENCE FINALE

• The Dukes enter their non-conference finale with a 2-2 record.
• A win would secure a winning non-conference record for the second straight year (5-3 in 2024) ... Looking for back-to-back winning non-conference seasons for the first time since 2011-2014 (four straight years)

EARLY STAT STANDOUTS

• Duquesne leads the Atlantic 10 in free position percentage (47.8%, 11-for-23) ... Went 6-for-9 from the FP against Robert Morris in the home opener.
• Dukes rank second in the A-10 in clearing percentage (90.9%, 70-for-77) ... Was a perfect 18-for-18 at Akron in the season-opening win.
• Mackenzie Leszczynski leads the A-10 and ranks ninth nationally in free position percentage (80%, 4-for-5) ... Fifth in the A-10 in points per game (4.0) and draw controls per game (4.75).
• Gracin Emerson is fourth in the A-10 in assists per game (2.25, nine total) ... All nine assists came in two games (five at Akron, four vs. Saint Francis).
• Chelsea Evans ranks third (2.25) and Hanna Pawela fourth (2.00) in the A-10 in caused turnovers per game ... Both are tied for sixth in ground balls (2.50/g).
• Emma Raines is second in the A-10 in shot percentage (61.5%, 8 goals in 13 shots).

RECORD BOOK WATCH

• Hanna Pawela passed Amanda Kidder (2012-15) for third in Duquesne career caused turnovers in the Robert Morris game.
  • Enters with 121 … Three behind Krista Mann (124, 2003-06) for second.
  • Meghan Hungate (178, 1998-01) holds the record
• Pawela is seventh all-time in ground balls at Duquesne with 133.
  • Four behind sixth place (137).
  • Needs 26 to crack the top five (Krista Mann – 159, 2003-06).
• Mackenzie Leszczynski ranks third in career draw controls at Duquesne with 181.
  • 17 behind Ginger Flocco (198, 2002-05) for second.
  • Maddie Hart holds the record with 252 (2017-20).

PRESEASON HONORS

• Hanna Pawela and Mackenzie Leszczynski earned A-10 preseason all-conference honors … Leszczynski has received postseason accolades each of her first three seasons, including A-10 All-Rookie honors and back-to-back second-team all-conference selections … Pawela is a two-time A-10 All-Academic honoree.

THAT'S OUR COACH

• Tracy Coyne ranks seventh among active Division I coaches with 324 career wins
• Spent the last five seasons at Saint Francis, becoming the all-time wins leader and leading the Red Flash to their first two NEC Tournament appearances
• Career includes 15 years at Notre Dame as the program's founding coach … Led the Irish to six NCAA Tournament appearances, a national semifinal in 2006 and a Big East title in 2009.

UP NEXT
Duquesne opens Atlantic 10 play next Saturday (March 8) vs. George Washington. First draw is 1 p.m. on Rooney Field and will be streamed on ESPN+.

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