CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – In the first 2015-16 regular season event for Duke Athletics, the Blue Devil women’s soccer team posted an impressive 5-0 blanking of Fresno State (0-1) Friday afternoon to open the UNC Nike Classic at Fetzer Field in Chapel Hill, N.C.

 

The five goals in the season opener are the most by the Blue Devils since 2008 when Duke had nine tallies against Coastal Carolina.  Duke (1-0) also improved to 12-2-1 in season openers over head coach Robbie Church’s 15 years with the Blue Devils.

 

“It is nice,” commented Church on the victory. “We have scored more goals in training; we have more attacking options this year than we had last year.  It is always great to see us put five on the board.  What, did we create 35 shots, did I see that?  That is the thing we are looking for.  You are going to score goals if you create opportunities.  We could have had more.”

 

Duke featured a flurry of shots to open the match as junior Toni Payne got things started with an attempt that was blocked, which led to a corner kick.  Sophomore Ashton Miller placed a perfect ball to the head of junior Lizzy Raben, who sent a header off the left post.  Sophomore Morgan Reid and rookie Taylor Racioppi also added shots that went wide. 

 

After taking seven shots early, the Blue Devils finally connected on their first goal as Raben placed a great ball down the left side of the pitch to redshirt sophomore Cassie Pecht.  Pecht, who missed the last two years with a knee injury, made a move towards the box and the ball got deflected away.  Racioppi picked it up and hit the top right corner of the goal to give Duke a 1-0 lead at the 17:01 mark. 

 

“Stepping on the field, getting a couple of good passes in and ultimately scoring a goal for my team was incredible,” said Racioppi.  “There is nothing like it.”

 

Twelve minutes later, junior Christina Gibbons sent a long ball from the back to freshman Kayla McCoy.  A product of Lincolnwood, Ill., McCoy found herself with just one defender and Fresno State goalkeeper Nicole Theroux to beat.  The 5-7 forward did just that and tapped in her first collegiate goal at the 29:27 mark.  McCoy, arrived at Duke as the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2015 class, and one of the top forward on the list. 

 

The Blue Devils would take a 3-0 advantage shortly after as sophomore Casey Martinez blasted right-footed shot into the top right corner of the goal off an assist from Danielle Duhl in the 35^th minute.  Martinez, who is from Towson, Md., took 10 shots in 18 matches a year ago without scoring a goal.  Less than two minutes after her first collegiate goal, Martinez nearly notched her second, but the Bulldog keeper made a diving save.

 

“I thought when we had good possession and movement off the ball, we started to reward ourselves with goals,” said Church. 

 

At the end of the first half, Duke held a 19-5 shot advantage.

 

The Blue Devils kicked off the second half like they started the first and Racioppi put Duke ahead 4-0 with some nifty footwork.  Racioppi, who hails from Ocean Township, N.J., dribbled around and through many Bulldog defenders and finished from six yards out for her second tally of the match. 

 

In the 70^th minute, Duke displayed some excellent passing, which led to the fifth goal of the match.  Miller fed a long ball to Payne, who then dribbled into the box, and sent a short cross to sophomore Imani Dorsey.  A native of Elkridge, Md., Dorsey finished in front of the goal for her fourth career goal. 

 

The Blue Devils closed the match with a 35-8 shot advantage led by five from Racioppi and four from Dorsey, Payne, Martinez and McCoy.  A total of 16 Duke student-athletes registered shots on the afternoon.  The 35 shots were the most since the Blue Devils attempted 37 against Francis Marion on Oct. 21, 2012.

 

Racioppi became just the third Blue Devil freshman to score two goals in her first collegiate start joining Ashley Rape (2008) and Casey McCluskey (2001). 

 

“It was so exciting,” commented Racioppi on scoring two goals in the season opener.  “Just to get out on the field as a team [was exciting].  I know we had a scrimmage, but this was the real thing and the start of our season.  It was what is going to give us momentum going forward.  It was just so much fun.”

 

In goal for Duke, EJ Proctor started and played the first 45 minutes, while redshirt freshman Abby Pyne made her official collegiate debut by playing the second half and totaling one save.  It marks the ninth shutout in 15 season openers under the direction of Church. 

 

The Blue Devils will close action Sunday, Aug. 23 as Duke will take on Weber State at 11:00 a.m.  The game will take place at Fetzer Field.

 

Notes:

• All six Blue Devil freshmen saw action in the match.  The class was tabbed No. 6 nationally.
• Taylor Racioppi, Kayla McCoy and Casey Martinez collected their first collegiate goal.
• Sophomore Mary Elizabeth Bender made her collegiate debut, after missing last year with an injury.
•  Malinda Allen made her return to the pitch after missing last season with an injury.
• The five goals in a season opener are the third-most by a Duke team under head coach Robbie Church. 
• In the UNC Nike Classic last season, the Blue Devils failed to score a goal and was shutout 3-0 in the two matches. 
• Duke moved to 25-16-1 all-time in the UNC Nike Classic.