Pirates Come Up One Play Short in 14-13 Loss to No. 12/13 Duke

Tuesday, March 25

Greenville, N.C.

5:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

2-6

Duke

8-3

Duke

ECU

Pirates Come Up One Play Short in 14-13 Loss to No. 12/13 Duke

March 25, 2025 | Lacrosse

Box Score

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina lacrosse team saw a magical comeback fall short in the final moments of a 14-13 loss to No. 12/13 Duke on Tuesday evening in Johnson Stadium. Kayla Wilkes had moments of brilliance pacing the Pirates with three goals, one assist, nine draw controls, three ground balls and two caused turnovers.

The game was an excellent one for fans of the sport. Tied at three apiece after a quarter, Duke (8-3, 3-2 ACC) threw the first major punch of the game with a 4-0 run in the final six minutes of the second quarter to open up a three-goal halftime lead. The goals were all scored by different players as eight different Blue Devils went on to tally goals in the game.

The Pirates (2-6, 0-1 AAC) stuck with it and kept within striking distance for much of the second half, never trailing by more than four goals and getting within just two on several occasions. The game looked won for Duke, however, when Carly Bernstein scored her third goal with 1:23 left to put the visitors up four once again.

Bernstein and Bella Goodwin led Duke with four points on three goals and an assist apiece.

With their backs against the wall, the Pirates had one last answer. Rachel Chessock scored on a Wilkes pass with 55 seconds remaining and it kicked off a magical moment for the home team. The Pirates got the ensuing draw control and in short order Katelyn Sclafani had scored on a Leah Bestany helper to cut the deficit to just two, making things interesting with time becoming an issue.

Again, ECU secured the draw and went down for an even more rapid goal, a Wilkes solo screamer from right of goal. Wilkes did it all herself on the play, from the draw all the way to the goal, part of what was a miraculous stretch for the junior, grabbing the final four draw controls of the game herself to nearly will her team back.

The Wilkes goal, coming with 24 seconds remaining, made it just a one-goal game and gave the Pirates three goals in only 31 seconds of game time.

Then it almost happened. Wilkes did secure the game's final draw control and after a foul with under 12 seconds to play, the ball ended back in her stick with the final seconds running off. She fired a shot which was ruled dangerous by the officials with just three ticks remaining. Duke goalkeeper Kennedy Everson had made the save, anyhow. The miracle was not to be.

For her part, Everson played well through stretches of the game with seven saves, including six in the second quarter alone. She did not, however, make a stop in the second half.

On the other side, Jaime Behar stood on her head at times with nine saves in the game but was unable to make a stop in the fourth quarter as Duke squeaked by.

Otherwise, the game was simply close. Duke won the draw 18-13, but it felt closer than that. The Blue Devils took 29 shots to the Pirates' 26 and had 17 ground balls to ECU's 15. ECU had only one more turnover than Duke, 15-14.

However you slice it, the game was simply close, and Duke made just that one more play.

Up Next
The Pirates hit the road as they continue conference play at Temple at noon on Saturday.