Air Force Academy
Duke
Falcon Lacrosse Travels to [#2/1] Duke
2/26/2021 9:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
GAME TIME
The Falcons hit the road to take on perennial powerhouse No. 2/1 Duke, on Saturday, February 27. Face off is slated for noon ET at Koskinen Stadium. Air Force has won three of the last four meetings with the Blue Devils, most recently winning last season's meeting, 14-13, in Durham.
THE SERIES
Air Force and Duke will come together for the 13th all-time meeting, ninth in Air Force's modern era, on Saturday afternoon. Duke leads the all-time series, 7-5, and the modern era series, 5-3.
Air Force has won three of the last four meetings, all in Durham. The teams first met in 1968, where the Falcons registered the program's largest margin of victory over Duke, 15-2. The Air Force modern era began in 1994 when the Falcons first joined an All-Div. I conference, the Great Western Lacrosse League.
LAST TIME THEY PLAYED
Air Force beat No. 7 Duke, 14-13, in Durham, N.C. Then-freshman attack man Brandon Dodd was a revelation for the Falcons, finishing with four goals and four assists, including the eventual game-winner with 48 seconds remaining, an empty-netter that put Air Force up 14-12 as Duke tried to double-team the ball-carrier and get another possession after the game clock fell below the shot clock.
Goalie Braden Host proved up to the task late and throughout the game as he finished with 17 saves, including a save of Nakeie Montgomery :37 remaining that, though Duke scored to cut Air Force's lead to one goal with :07 remaining, effectively sealed the win. Quincy Peene was excellent for Air Force, as well, posting four goals and an assist, while coach Bill Wilson's team got points from seven other players.
Air Force is no stranger to wins over Duke, having beaten the Blue Devils three times since 2016. Efficiency-wise, Air Force scored on 14 of 30 possessions (46.7%), while Duke capitalized on 13 of 43 (30.2%).
Duke jumped out to a 5-0 first quarter lead, and Air Force spent the next 20 minutes chipping away before a three-goal Falcon run to open the third quarter narrowed the Blue Devil lead to 9-8. From there, it was nip-and-tuck until Air Force tied it at 12-12 with 7:23 to play.
Peene's fourth of the day, a Quentin Carlile caused turnover and a Host ground ball on the crease set up Dodd's empty-netter and eventual game-winner.
Courtesy of Terry Foy, Inside Lacrosse
UP NEXT
Air Force travels to the 2019 NCAA Champions University of Virginia for a Saturday afternoon contest, March 6, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Action is slated for 12 p.m. ET in Klockner Stadium. The Falcons are 1-1 with the Cavaliers in the all-time series.
HOST WINS SOCON DPOTW
Braden Host posted 11 saves and allowed just nine goals in 62:25 as Air Force earned a 10-9, overtime win over Utah on Saturday. The senior goalkeeper from Aurora, Colorado, faced 37 shots on the day and posted a .550 save percentage, making point-blank stops in the waning minutes and allowing just one Utah goal in the final 8:22 of regulation. He also added a pair of ground balls on the day. Host is the league's active career leader with an 8.97 GAA, which is second all-time in SoCon history. His .510 career save percentage ranks seventh in SoCon history. The SoCon weekly award is the fourth of Host's career.
LAST TIME OUT
An Air Force goal in overtime lifted the Falcons to a 10-9 win against Utah (1-2), Saturday afternoon (Feb. 20), in the Falcon Stadium opener. Senior team captain Quincy Peene led the Falcons in scoring with four goals on the day, highlighted by two-straight goals in the fourth quarter to swing the momentum in favor of the Falcons. Peene took a game-high nine shots on the day; his four-goal showing ties a personal-best mark.
Senior Gianni Orlando was the Falcons' second-leading scorer with a pair of goals including the overtime game-winner in an unassisted attack. Senior Matthew O'Rourk and freshman Aidan Tolen led the squad with two assists apiece.
O'Rourk, Brenden Crouse, Ethan Grandolfo and Chad Teresky notched a goal each. Crouse and Grandolfo added an assist each to their final stat line and sophomore Tommy Hellman assisted Peene in Air Force's first goal of the game.
Sophomore faceoff man Dylan Frankhouser had a solid day at the dot, winning 13-of-22 attempts (.591) while also picking up five ground balls. Freshman Chris Bardak was all over the field, picking up a game-high eight ground balls and was credited for two caused turnovers. The Falcons forced eight turnovers on the game.
Senior goalie Braden Host made nine saves highlighted by snagging point-blank shots in the waning minutes of the game to keep the Falcons alive.
TO BE OR NOT TO B DODD
One Air Force's most prolific goal scorers and assist maker, Brandon Dodd, has missed the first two games of the season. Dodd, who scored a career-best eight points via four goals and four assists in last season's meeting with Duke, is still in question for Saturday's meeting.
