By Todd McElwee
 
It's championship weekend so, naturally, Duke is in the building. The Blue Devils will make their seventh consecutive Final Four appearance when it faces Cornell May 25, following a pair of 12-11 victories, against Loyola May 12 and Notre Dame May 19.

Boys' Latin alumnus Christian Walsh, a junior attackman, helped Duke get to Philadelphia, Pa., kick-starting the game-winning three-goal scoring streak with a strike at 8:31 during the fourth quarter against the Fighting Irish. Walsh spoke to the Lacrosse Report about the Blue Devils' Final Four experience and what it would take to win the NCAA title.
 
Lacrosse Report: What was your first thought after the final horn sounded May 19?
 
Christian Walsh: We were just happy to get the win. It was awesome. It was a tough battle back. We were down again, obviously, like we were against Loyola, but we didn't quit and we got the win. At the end of the day, that's all that matters this time of the year.
 
LR: How much of the other games did you watch?
 
CW: I didn't really see much of it at all. We were traveling the day before and practicing. It's weird, you're 15 yards from the other game going on before us, but I don't try to focus on that game. We try to zone in on what we have to get done.
 
LR: How much does Duke's experience with championship weekend help?
 
CW: It definitely helps, because it's a different atmosphere, a different animal. Although you like to think it's just another game, it is different playing in front of however many fans end up being there. It's good to have experience. I've played in it two years now, and I remember freshman year being a little bit overwhelmed by the crowd and everything that was going on. The experience will be key for us, we hope.
 
LR: Has practice been any different this week?
 
CW: We started off with film yesterday. It's a pretty similar week. For the past two weeks, we've tried to keep things the same and get in a little bit of a rhythm. That's what we like to do.
 
LR: Above all, what does a team have to do to win an NCAA title?
 
CW: I'd like to think it's just doing what we've done -- listen to the coaches, listen to the game plan, working hard like we've been doing and then execute come game day. Hopefully it all works out and we get the W.

Posted May 24, 2013