Women’s lacrosse: Duff has the right stuff at Virginia

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Women’s lacrosse: Duff has the right stuff at Virginia

Stone Ridge graduate Kaitlin Duff making a national name for herself

by Chay Rao | Staff Writer

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Photo courtesy of University of Virginia Athletics

Just a freshman at Virginia, Stone Ridge graduate Kaitlin Duff has already broken into the starting lineup and made a serious impact, winning national rookie of the week honors for the week of March 6-13. She leads the nationally ranked Cavaliers in turnovers caused (14) and groundballs (27).

Kaitlin Duff, with the body of a lithe speedster, does not look particularly tough. But as opponents on the lacrosse field have often found out through the course of her career, looks can be deceiving. Last year, as a senior at Stone Ridge, she scored 101 goals to set a school record, using a combination of finesse and determination to get the ball in the net. Now, as a freshman midfielder for the University of Virginia, Duff is doing it again.

‘‘When we were recruiting her, we knew she was really fast, but we never realized how tough and gritty she could be,” Virginia head coach Julie Myers said. ‘‘You take a look at her sideways, and it looks like you can look right through her, but she plays consistent and she takes chances. She’s a steady yet make-it-happen sort of player.”

In fact, in just her first season, Duff, who hails from Bethesda, has already become a major contributor for Virginia, which won an Atlantic Coast Conference title for 2006, and is currently the fifth-ranked team in the nation, according to the latest Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association poll. Duff moved into the starting lineup in the opening week of the regular season, and has immediately paid dividends. Through the first 11 games of the season, Duff has scored six goals, but more impressively, leads the Cavaliers in caused turnovers (14) and ground balls (27). She is also second on the team in draw controls.

‘‘We recruit players that we think can get on the field,” Myers said, ‘‘and we count on our first-year players to be ready, but we did not know what kind of impact Kaitlin would have until the season started. To have a first-year player leading us in the grit stats [turnovers and ground balls] is really nice.”

If the Cavaliers had been at Stone Ridge’s 10-7 victory over Georgetown Visitation last year, however, Duff’s toughness would not have been such a surprising revelation. In that game, she scored five goals to lead the Gators to their first victory over the Cubs in 12 years, but her most defining moment came in the waning minutes of the game, when a collision with a teammate opened a gash under her cheek. Rather than recover on the sideline for the rest of the game, Duff quickly came off the field, bandaged the wound, and sprinted back on to ensure the victory. Yet, even with such tenacity and desire, Duff admitted that when she arrived in Charlottesville, she was a little nervous.

‘‘When I got here, I didn’t know what to expect,” Duff said. ‘‘I had already met the team and the coaches [during recruiting] and I knew how good everyone was, so it took me some time not to feel nervous going into every practice. But playing has made me so much more comfortable. We really have fun in practice and the game experiences have been great. I really love it here.”

Other county products making the grade in college

Duff is not the only member of the Class of 2006 that has seen action in Division I college lacrosse this season. Erica Baumgartner, who starred for Good Counsel’s varsity team for four years and was named an All-Gazette first-teamer in 2005 and 2006, now plays for Boston University. Through April 7, Baumgartner was tied for third place on the team in total points (assists plus goals) with 18, including five goals. Her contributions have helped the Terriers to a 4-5 overall record under first-year coach Liz Robertshaw, including a 1-1 mark in America East conference play.

The action has not been limited to field players. Sherwood’s former netminder, Samantha Debow, has found a place on the field at the University of Oregon. Though she had started the season behind incumbent goalie Anna Poponyak, when the sophomore went down with a knee injury against the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Debow was thrust into the starting lineup. Through 11 games, Debow had allowed an average 11.48 goals per game, but has improved of late. She recorded a season-high 10 saves in an 11-10 win over Lehigh (Pa.) that lifted her individual record to 5-2 for the Ducks (9-5 record).

‘‘Sam has stepped up and gotten some playing time, and this is why we gave her the time,” Oregon coach Jen Larsen told the Oregon Daily Emerald. ‘‘Sam went in there and made some key saves at a time when you don’t want to throw in just any goalkeeper.”

In addition, two Holton-Arms graduates from a year ago, midfielder Chrisi Casey and defensive player Dana McCreary, now are rivals situated just miles from each other. McCreary, from Reston, Va., dons the colors of top-ranked University of North Carolina, while Casey, from Potomac, plays for the fourth-ranked Duke Blue Devils. Though McCreary has yet to see time on the field this season, Casey has played in five games and corralled one ground ball.

Duff’s precocious success has eclipsed her Montgomery County compatriots this season. She was named national rookie of the week by womenlacrosse.com for the week of March 6-13, when she caused two turnovers, had four draw controls and scored the go-ahead goal against Syracuse. Yet, she is choosing not to focus on such accolades.

‘‘I am trying not to get too caught up in all of that,” Duff said. ‘‘I am trying to focus on our team goals. We want to win the ACC and it is always in the back of our heads that we want to win a national championship. The whole experience [of playing lacrosse] has enhanced my experience at U-Va. and made it so much better.”