Division I Men :      March 11, 2006 [ The Game Story]
Duke 9 Loyola 7 Scoring: Scoring: Matt Zash Dan Flannery Kyle Dowd Matt Danowski Zack Greer Bret Thompson Ned Crotty (3, 1) (1, 1) (2, 0) (2, 0) (0, 2) (1, 0) (0, 1) Patrick Kennedy Dan Bauers Andrew Spack Tyler Gale Jordan Rabidou Greg Leonard (2, 2) (2, 0) (1, 1) (2, 0) (0, 1) (0, 1) Saves: Saves: Dan Loftus 10  (0.588) Michael Fretwell 10  (0.526) Current Record :     (5-1) Current Record :     (2-2) Team Page For 2006 Team Page For 2006

The #2 ranked Duke Blue Devils survived a strong push from #20 Loyola. After falling behind early, 1-0 and 2-1, Duke went on a five-goal scoring burst spanning the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second quarter. Matt Zash led the way for the Blue Devils at the 2nd First Four in California. This time the invitational was held in San Diego on the campus of the University of San Diego. Zash’s 3 goals and assist were enough to earn him game MVP. Intermittent rain made the otherwise superbly run event challenging as both teams up and down the field struggled with traction. Loyola was paced by Patrick Kenney who went two-and-two on the day in the 9-7 losing effort. Both goalies, Michael Fretwell for Loyola and Dan Loftus for Duke, made some important saves contributing 10 saves a piece.

Interview with Duke’s Matt Zash – MVP of the game

“I think coming out here was a little bit of a distraction. We were all looking forward to it. Coming down here, regardless of the weather, ya know this game was a real test for us. This game was a real test for us for many reasons, one coming off a big loss to Maryland, we didn’t feel we played well at all. Maryland played their best and we didn’t bring ours. It’s no secret we lost a couple guys to injuries this week. A couple guys were banged up after that game and we had to have other guys, specifically defensemen, step it up and ya know give it their all today.”

”Well I don’t mind the weather, the kicker was that back in Durham it was 75 and sunny with a light breeze, that was really what disappointed us. But I mean, it was great to come out here. Get away from it and see the sights. We tried to stay focused as best we could and keep the distractions to a minimum. We’re thrilled to be out here.”

“I think for us it was adjusting to the conditions out there. It was a little slippery out there, initially we had to change our game plan a little bit, because it was a little more difficult for a change of direction. We didn’t really need to change our defensive package.”

“We ran a clinic with the Rancho Bernardo kids for a little bit. They seem like they got a couple good promising prospects. With the varsity team. [Did you get to see Yeatman at all?] Yeah, he’s a big boy. And I think he’ll do well with Notre Dame and whatever he wants to do.”

Interview with Duke Head Coach Mike Pressler

“Well, the game was a very emotional game for us. Ya know, a heartbreaking loss to Maryland, a game we gave away we felt. Then on Monday we lost arguably our best defenseman to an ACL injury, Casey Carroll, for the season. At practice. Then we played Holy Cross, but we didn’t have it during the week. We all lost a piece of us, such an emotional leader of our team. Arguably a first team AA type of player and to come out here at the end of midterms. We started spring break today and the kids had a ton of work. Exams, guys were up the last couple of nights until 3 in the morning, emailing it back to Duke. So its been a very, very difficult situation.

[it wasn’t a vacation] Yeah. And then you look at the field, the field really hurt us I felt. We couldn’t change direction. Then it became just a north-south game, we really started to pound it in from the midfield. Matt Danowski couldn’t get going because of his footing. He can’t change direction, if you can’t change direction, it’s difficult to come from behind the goal. If you’re not gonna change direction make one move and sprint, then you gotta try something in front of the goal and that’s what we did in the second half.”

[Seemed that the middies just started pulling it up to midfield and making it a footrace] “Yep and making it an athlete game.”