There were an even 40 Division I women’s lacrosse games Saturday, nine of which featured teams ranked in the Nike/USA Lacrosse Division I Women’s Top 20.

As is the usual Saturday exercise, let’s jump right into the results.

SEVEN UNANSWERED LIFT DUKE

All good offenses eventually find their rhythm. It just took No. 9 Duke most of the first half to get there.

Down by two goals after Ashlyn McGovern scored for Virginia with 6:51 left, Duke needed a spark. Katie DeSimone and Abby Landry were just what the Blue Devils asked for, as both scored twice during a 7-0 run that ultimately lifted Duke to a 13-8 win in Durham.

DeSimone had four goals and one assist, and Landry had three goals and one assist. Maddie Jenner scored once and secured 10 draws for Duke (13-1, 4-1 ACC). Kiki Shaw had a hat trick for No. 15 Virginia (6-7, 2-4 ACC).

UCONN WINS ROLLERCOASTER

For the first 30 minutes, No. 20 UConn looked to be in total control. The Huskies led by 10 at halftime in Storrs, Conn., and Marquette appeared to pose little threat in the Big East opener for both teams.

Whatever halftime pep talk the coaching staff gave Marquette must have worked. The Golden Eagles scored nine of the first 11 goals of the second half, cutting the deficit to three. UConn had just enough left to hold them off, though, in an 18-15 win.

Kate Shaffer scored five times for UConn (10-1, 1-0 Big East), which extended its winning streak to nine games. Sydney Watson had four goals, one assist and eight draw controls, and Lia LaPrise had a hat trick.

Mary Schumar of Marquette (5-7, 0-1 Big East) led all scorers with seven points (one goal, six assists).

LaPrise’s goal with 5:30 left in the game ultimately proved to be the winner. That goal made the score 16-15, and Shaffer added another about 90 seconds later. But Marquette scored the next three, the last of which by Emma Soccodato that cut the deficit to 17-15.

Watson scored with 42 seconds left to ice the win.

MARYLAND WINS THE CORDINGLEY BOWL

In Aurora Cordingley’s first game against her former Johns Hopkins team, her new team came out with an easy win.

Cordingley scored twice for No. 5 Maryland (10-1, 2-0 Big Ten), but it was Libby May with four goals who led the Terps in a 17-6 win. Shannon Smith had two goals one assist and nine draw controls, while Eloise Clevenger and Hannah Leubecker also scored twice. Emily Sterling made 12 saves.

Kathleen Garvey made 13 saves for Johns Hopkins (6-6, 0-3 Big Ten).

UNC CRUSHES NOTRE DAME

Jamie Ortega scored six times, Caitlyn Wurzburger had one goal and four assists and Ally Mastroianni secured nine draws as top-ranked North Carolina cruised to a 15-7 win over Notre Dame.

Andie Aldave scored once in her first game against her former Notre Dame teammates. Taylor Moreno was lights out with 16 saves — including the absolute showstopper.

TAYLOR MORENO INSANE

The @uncwlax goalie might just find herself on #SCTop10. pic.twitter.com/bil2xeX8Qi

— USA Lacrosse Magazine (@USALacrosseMag) April 2, 2022

The Tar Heels improved to 12-0 (5-0 ACC), while Notre Dame fell to 4-7 (1-4 ACC).

NOTABLE

• No. 2 Boston College scored 13 first-half goals and Charlotte North led the way with seven goals as the Eagles topped Virginia Tech 18-8 in front of 1,124 at Alumni Stadium. BC improved to 11-1 (4-1 ACC) and VT fell to 8-6 (2-4 ACC).

• No. 4 Loyola recovered from Tuesday’s one-goal loss to Syracuse by dominating Holy Cross 21-7. Loyola (10-1, 3-0 Patriot League) got four goals and two assists from Livy Rosenzweig, two goals and three assists from Sam Fiedler and four points each from Jillian Wilson (three goals) and Georgia Latch (three assists).

• No. 8 Syracuse won its fourth straight game — an 18-6 decision over Pitt — thanks to six goals and two assists from Meaghan Tyrrell. Emily Hawryschuk had four goals and two assists for the Orange (10-2, 5-0 ACC).

• No. 11 Denver used a 10-0 first-half run to defeat Butler 17-8 in its Big East opener. Bea Behrins had seven goals and one assist, Kayla DeRose had five assists and Lauren Black scored four goals for Denver (11-1, 1-0 Big East).

• No. 12 James Madison (8-4, 2-0 CAA) rode another huge game from Isabella Peterson to a 17-10 win over Hofstra. Peterson had eight goals (on 12 shots), two assists and four draw controls. Kacey Knobloch had four goals and one assist.

HOW THE NIKE/USAL TOP 20 FARED

No. 1 North Carolina defeated Notre Dame 15-7
No. 2 Boston College defeated Virginia Tech 18-8
No. 4 Loyola defeated Holy Cross 21-7
No. 5 Maryland defeated Johns Hopkins 17-6
No. 8 Syracuse defeated Pitt 18-6
No. 9 Duke defeated No. 15 Virginia 13-8
No. 11 Denver defeated Butler 17-8
No. 12 James Madison defeated Hofstra 17-10
No. 20 UConn defeated Marquette 18-15

FULL SCOREBOARD

Albany 12, Vermont 10
Army 17, American 14
No. 2 Boston College 18, Virginia Tech 8
Bryant 17, LIU 6
Campbell 17, Winthrop 10
Canisius 17, Iona 15
Central Michigan 20, Youngstown State 11
No. 11 Denver 17, Butler 8
Drexel 21, William & Mary 10
No. 9 Duke 13, No. 15 Virginia 8
East Carolina 14, Old Dominion 11
Fairfield 20, Marist 12
Furman 17, Gardner-Webb 14
Georgetown 13, Villanova 11
High Point 24, Wofford 11
No. 12 James Madison 17, Hofstra 10
Kennesaw State 19, Stetson 10
Kent State 10, Akron 9
Lafayette 16, Boston U 13
Lehigh 16, Bucknell 11
Liberty 22, Delaware State 5
Longwood 15, Presbyterian 8
No. 4 Loyola 21, Holy Cross 7
No. 5 Maryland 17, Johns Hopkins 6
Mercer 20, Radford 4
Monmouth 17, Siena 11
Mount St. Mary’s 13, Merrimack 5
Navy 12, Colgate 5
Niagara 9, Quinnipiac 8
No. 1 North Carolina 15, Notre Dame 7
Robert Morris 13, Detroit Mercy 8
Sacred Heart 12, Howard 2
San Diego State 20, Columbia 6
No. 8 Syracuse 18, Pitt 6
Temple 20, Vanderbilt 9
Towson 20, Elon 8
No. 20 UConn 18, Marquette 15
UMBC 12, UMass Lowell 11
Wagner 16, Saint Francis 7
Yale 15, Brown 13