Samanyu Gangappa

Saturday’s ball game was, in the words of head coach Kerstin Kimel, “a complete disappointment” for Duke. While on paper, the matchup was poised to be competitive — both teams entered with 5–3 conference records — the No. 11 Tigers proved to the No. 17 Blue Devils that while they may share a record, in-game play was anything but even. With a seven-goal lead out of the half, Clemson’s women continued to build the gap en route to hand Duke a 17–5 loss.

For a brief stretch in the second quarter of Sunday’s game, Duke found itself a player down — then two — and Florida State smelled blood. It didn’t last. Redshirt junior Ava Biancardi opened the scoring on a man-up finish early in the first, giving Duke an early edge against a Seminole side without an ACC win. But Florida State’s Julia Ward was sharp in net, keeping the contest tight through the first quarter. Ultimately though, it wasn’t enough to give the Seminoles the edge.

On June 29, 2025, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., caused a national stir when he announced his retirement after voting against the Republican-sponsored “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act.” Since the announcement, Tillis has more openly criticized members of the Trump administration, including deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller, Trinity ‘07.