Duke vs. Maryland in NCAA Quarterfinal Showdown
The Opening Faceoff
Duke’s men’s lacrosse team is gearing up for a big NCAA quarterfinal fight against Maryland on Saturday. The Blue Devils advanced with an impressive 19-7 win over Utah in the first round, where Dyson Williams and Josh Zawada combined for 13 points. Their defense was excellent, holding Utah to just two goals in the second half.
This game marks the 82nd meeting between Duke and Maryland and the eighth in NCAA Tournament history. The last time these teams met off in the NCAA postseason was in the 2021 semifinals, where Maryland triumphed 14-5.
Maryland claimed their spot in the quarterfinals by defeating Princeton 16-8. The Terrapins, with a 9-5 overall record, scored their best number of goals this season in that game. Key players include Braden Erksa with 36 points and Eric Spanos with 34. Despite their record of 11.07 goals per game, Maryland’s strong defense allows only 10.36 goals per game. Luke Wierman is a standout at faceoffs, leading the Big Ten and placing third nationally with a 61% success rate.
Duke ranks third overall in scoring offense and 14th in scoring defense. Dyson Williams leads with 55 goals, while Brennan O’Neill has 51 goals and a team-high 78 points. Kenny Brower leads the defense with 19 caused turnovers.
The winner of this game will advance to the championship weekend in Philadelphia, playing the victor between Virginia and Johns Hopkins.
By the Numbers
204 & 100: Goals and assists for Brennan O’Neill, making him just the second Blue Devil and fourth player in NCAA Division I history to hit 200 goals and 100 assists in a career.
10.22: Duke’s average goals allowed per game this season, with seven opponents held to single-digit scores.
206: Career goals for Dyson Williams, putting him second in Duke history and fourth in NCAA Division I history.
44-22: Duke’s all-time record in the NCAA Tournament.
.613: Faceoff win percentage for Maryland’s Luke Wierman, finishing third nationally.
992: Career faceoffs won by Duke’s Jake Naso, hitting the milestone of 1,000.
14-5: Duke’s record in NCAA Championship playoff games.
.550: Man-up scoring percentage for Duke in the past six games, converting 11 of 20 chances.
.333: Duke’s early season man-up accuracy, scoring 7 of 21.
11: Man-up goals for Dyson Williams, the second-highest nationwide.
825: Combined career points for Duke’s attack trio of Brennan O’Neill, Josh Zawada, and Dyson Williams.
300: Career points for Brennan O’Neill, fourth in Duke history, just five away from passing Jordan Wolf.
Series History
This game marks the 82nd straight meeting between Duke and Maryland. The Terrapins lead the series 60-21 and hold a 4-3 edge in NCAA Championship play. Their last tournament game was in the 2021 semifinals, which Maryland won 14-5. Duke previously beat Maryland in the 2018 semifinals, 13-8.
Duke in NCAA Tournament
Duke is playing in its 26th NCAA Tournament, seeded No. 2 for the fourth time. The Blue Devils have a 44-22 record in NCAA playoff games and a 14-5 record in quarterfinals. Under Coach John Danowski, Duke is 35-12 in NCAA Tournament play, getting to 12 semifinals. Danowski has 39 NCAA Championship wins, leading all current Division I coaches and ranking second all-time.
Key Players
Brennan O’Neill (A, Senior): Ranks third in Duke history with 304 total points and fourth with 204 goals.
Dyson Williams (A, Graduate Student): Tied for second in Duke history with 206 total goals.
Jake Naso (FO, Senior): Seventh in NCAA DI history with 992 career faceoff wins.
Josh Zawada (A, Graduate Student): Nearing 300 career points.
Tyler Carpenter (LSM, Graduate Student): Third in Duke history with 81 total caused turnovers.
Kenny Brower (D, Graduate Student): Fourth in Duke history with 73 career caused mistakes.
A Win Over Maryland Would… Be head coach John Danowski’s 472nd career win and 253rd at Duke.
Send Duke to the quarterfinals for the 20th time.
Be Danowski’s 39th NCAA Tournament win and 35th at Duke.
To stay updated with Duke men’s lacrosse, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook by finding “DukeMLAX.”
Duke Centennial
In 2024, Duke marks its Centennial, marking 100 years since Trinity College became Duke University. This milestone will be used to deepen knowledge of its history, inspire pride, and prepare for continued excellence. To learn more, visit 100.duke.edu.
#GoDuke
Players Mentioned:
Kenny Brower (D, Graduate Student)
Tyler Carpenter (LSM, Graduate Student)
Jake Naso (FO, Senior)
Brennan O’Neill (A, Senior)
Dyson Williams (A, Graduate Student) Josh Zawada (A, Graduate Student)