AUBURN, Ala. – Duke University freshman standout Kelly Cobb registered her third goal over the last four matches on Sunday to lift the fifth-ranked Duke women’s soccer team to a 1-0 victory over Ole Miss in the Auburn Tournament in Auburn, Ala.

“It was a great road win for us,” said Duke Head Coach Robbie Church.  “It was a long trip as we have been gone since Thursday.  We had a tough game on Friday night both mentally and physically.  It was 11:30 a.m., this morning when we played the match in the rain.  There were a lot of things we had to overcome.  I am proud we gutted out the game.”

Ole Miss took the opening shot of the match before Duke went on the attack.  The Blue Devils were a little over-aggressive to start out with three consecutive offsides calls before Duke took the next nine shots of the first stanza.  In the opening period, Laura Weinberg, Gilda Doria, Mollie Pathman and Callie Simpkins each attempted two shots. 

Church started six players in the second half, who came off the bench in the first stanza and played well.  Freshman Audrey Gibson and junior Erin Koballa each attempted the first three Duke shots of the second period -- one which was saved by Ole Miss keeper Alley Ronaldi.

“We didn’t think a lot of our first group played as well as they were capable of in the first half,” said Church.  “We made a lot of changes in the first half bringing in some new front line, defenders and midfielders and they gave us a huge, huge lift.  We started them in the second half because of their efforts. We came back with the starters later and got the goal.  It was a great team win today.”

Following five substitutions by the Blue Devils, Duke attempted six out of the next seven shots of the match before registering the game-winning goal in the 75th minute.  Pathman, who is out of Durham, N.C., made a great run and sent a pass to Cobb who hit her third tally from six yards out.

“A lot of the game Mollie had been going outside, but this time she turned in and was very dynamic as she tucked the ball inside from the players left,” commented Church.  “There was a big gap and she did a really nice job of taking some long touches to get into that gap.  She had an option where she could have shot it herself, but as the defender came across to her so she cut it back to Kelly and Kelly struck it into the goal off a Ole Miss defender.”

Cobb, a native of Chugiak, Alaska, earned her third goal in four games started to lead Duke. She leads the Blue Devils with three goals on the season.  Pathman now owns a team-best four assists.

Ole Miss fired two late shots that both went high and Weinberg attempted a shot as time expired that was saved by Ronaldi to close out the match. 

In goal for the Blue Devils was junior Tara Campbell, who posted her fourth shutout of the season and 17th of her career.  A product of Cincinnati, Ohio, Campbell netted two saves in 90 minutes of play.  Ronaldi added six saves for Ole Miss. 

Duke outshot the Rebels, 21-4, for the match. 

The Blue Devils will next host the Duke Nike Classic on Friday, Sept. 9 and Sunday, Sept. 11 with North Carolina, Texas A&M and UNC Greensboro.  On Sept. 9, North Carolina will take on UNC Greensboro at 2:00 p.m., followed by Duke versus Texas A&M at 4:00 p.m.  The classic will close on Sunday with North Carolina against Texas A&M at 12:00 p.m., and Duke versus UNC Greensboro.

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