CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Duke freshmen Taylor Racioppi and Kayla McCoy collected three goals Sunday against Weber State to help lead the Blue Devils to a 4-0 victory to conclude action in the UNC Nike Classic at Fetzer Field in Chapel Hill, N.C. 

 

The Blue Devils moved to 2-0 on the regular season, while Weber State dropped to 0-2.  In two matches over the weekend, Racioppi and McCoy scored six of Duke’s nine goals. 

 

“I thought we played well all weekend,” said Duke head coach Robbie Church.  “I think there are still some inconsistencies in our play of course, but it is early August and you cannot be perfect all the time.  We scored nine goals in two games, we will take that any time.  We know what is ahead of us and it is great to come out of here 2-0 scoring 9-0 in goals.  Last year we walked out of here 0-2 and 0-3 in goals.  That is a great little turnaround.”

 

The match opened a little slow with neither team registering a shot until the 11:11 mark as Blue Devil redshirt sophomore Malinda Allen fired an attempt that was blocked.  From then on, Duke started putting more and more pressure on the Weber State goal. 

 

The Blue Devils then put the first goal on the board as Racioppi collected a pass from Allen at the top of the box.  Racioppi, who hails from Ocean Township, N.J., gathered the pass from Allen, took one touch and then placed a perfect ball into the top right corner for her third goal in two matches to open her career.  The Weber State goalkeeper didn’t even move as Racioppi placed a perfect ball in goal.

 

“I had the ball, looked up and I just saw the side netting,”  said Racioppi on the first goal.  “So I kind of just went for it.  My teammates were making fun of me as I think I surprised them to.  It was just the right thing to do at that time and I just confidently took the shot.”

 

Racioppi joined the ranks of Kelly Cobb, Casey McCluskey, Andi Melde, Caitlin Connolly and Dena Paris to score at least one goal in her first two collegiate starts.  A 5-5 midfielder, Racioppi now owns three goals in two matches.  

 

Just 15 minutes later Allen crossed the ball from the left side of the pitch to redshirt junior Danielle Duhl, who chipped a pass to McCoy.  A product of Lincolnwood, Ill., McCoy used her body to get position and headed in her second goal in as many games to put Duke ahead, 2-0. 

 

At the end of the first half, the Blue Devils held a 13-1 shot advantage as Weber State added its only attempt with a minute left in the stanza. 

 

“They are just very, very talent players and also players with very strong character,” commented Church on the play of Racioppi and McCoy.  “They have been nothing but team players since they have come in.  They have worked extremely hard and they don’t want any of the national limelight.  They want to be part of the group and team.  They have shown talent on the field and done really well over the weekend.”

 

Duke didn’t waste much time in the second half to get on the board as redshirt sophomore Cassie Pecht dribbled her way to the top of the box and blasted a left-footed shot into the top right corner of the net to put the Blue Devils ahead, 3-0, in the 50^th minute. 

 

“What a great goal she had,” said Church.  “That was a Cassie Pecht goal from a couple of years ago and we have missed that in our program for so long.  Just to see her split players, strike it from distance; that was a big-time goal.”

 

Pecht, who is from Mechanicsburg, Pa., totaled her seventh career goal and her first since 2012, after missing the last two years with injuries.  She was the 2012 National Freshman of the Year leading the nation with 15 assists along with six goals. 

 

Weber State came back with its best scoring chance of the match as Mackenzie Harrison found herself in a one-v-one opportunity against Blue Devil goalkeeper EJ Proctor on the left side of the box but the Duke keeper was able to make a two-handed save to preserve the shutout. 

 

The Blue Devils added one more goal as McCoy scored for the second time on the day at the 80:54 mark to give Duke a 4-0 lead.  McCoy, who notched her third goal in two matches, took a throw-in from freshman Chelsea Burns and used her left foot to bend a shot into the left corner of the net from 15 yards out. 

 

“I knew I was going to turn,” said McCoy on her second goal.  “She threw the ball at my feet and I felt the defender on my back.  I knew I could spin her so I spun her and I kind of looked up and saw I had a space on the goal and kind of launched it towards it towards the far post and hit it well.”

 

For the match, Duke held a 23-3 shot advantage led by four each from Racioppi and Toni Payne.  Defender Christina Gibbons and Allen each added three shots for the Blue Devils.

 

“Our attacking versatility is awesome,” said Racioppi.  “We have players who can run at you on the dribble, we have players who can take an outside shot and put it right over the keepers head.  We have players who can combine in tight spaces, get in one-v-one with the keeper.  There is such special talent here.  I think we have the wide variety.  The players coming in off the bench make an impact immediately.”

 

Proctor moved to 2-0 in goal for Duke as she played 53:44 minutes and added one save.  Redshirt freshman Abby Pyne came in to close the final 36:16 minutes.  The Blue Devil defense came away with back-to-back shutouts to open the season for the first time since 2011. 

 

Duke will next travel to University Park, Pa., Friday, Aug. 28 to face fifth-ranked Penn State for a 7:00 p.m., contest. 

 

#GoDuke