DURHAM, N.C. – One staple for the fourth-ranked Duke women’s soccer team this season has been its standout defense and once again the back line was solid on Sunday as the Blue Devils downed Virginia Tech, 1-0, at Koskinen Stadium.

Duke goalkeeper Tara Campbell registered her ninth shutout of the year, which matched the Blue Devil single-season record for shutouts in a season.  With the win, Duke improved to 12-1-1 overall and 4-0-1 in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) action.  Virginia Tech dropped to 8-4-1 and 0-3-1.

After playing 110 minutes on Thursday against seventh-ranked Virginia, the Blue Devils started slow on Sunday with only one shot over the first 29 minutes.  The shot came in the fourth minute as sophomore Laura Weinberg fired a strike that went at Hokie goalkeeper Dayle Colpitts for the save.  

“No question about that,” commented head coach Robbie Church about the slow start for Duke.  “I was a little disappointed in that -- we knew exactly what Virginia Tech was going to do.  They play really hard.  You have to give credit to their staff and players.  They did the same thing as we did -- they played 110 minutes on Thursday.  I am disappointed in our start -- I really am.”  

Virginia Tech took all four of its first half shots in the opening 25 minutes of play.  Then, in the 30th minute, freshman Kelly Cobb took her only attempt of the match that was blocked.  Only 15 seconds later, the Blue Devils took the lead, 1-0.

Redshirt freshman Kim DeCesare sent a high pass down the middle of the pitch that landed on the head of senior Chelsea Canepa in the box.  Canepa, who is out of Phoenix, Ariz., headed the ball to the feet of sophomore Kaitlyn Kerr, who used her right foot to beat Colpitts for her fourth tally of the season.  Kerr notched her second game-winning goal of the year.  

Kerr, Canepa and redshirt senior Molly Lester each fired shots before the end of the first half that saw the Blue Devils outshoot the Hokies, 6-4.  

Church liked the play of Duke’s bench in the first stanza so they were rewarded with the second half start and they played well.  The Blue Devil defense continued their stellar work on the field as they held Virginia Tech to only two shots in the second half.  

“Some of our subbing really helped us,” said Church.  “The people that came off the bench provided a big spark.  Chelsea [Canepa] won a big head ball and knocked it over to Kaitlyn [Kerr] for the only goal.  I thought we were most dangerous when that group came in the second part of the first half.  It is a win and one we grind out and you have to have that some.  Everything is not going to be a masterpiece.”


Neither team mounted much of a scoring threat over the final 45 minutes except for a blast from just outside the box by Duke sophomore Mollie Pathman in the 86th minute that went off the crossbar.  The ball bounced back in front of the goal but no Blue Devil was there to pounce on the rebound.  

For the match, Duke outshot Virginia Tech, 14-6, including an 8-2 advantage in the second half.  Kerr led the Blue Devils with three shots, while Lester and Weinberg each attempted two.  Cobb was held to a season-low one shot.

Campbell, who is out of Cincinnati, Ohio, finished with two saves on the afternoon.  She now owns nine shutouts on the season and 23 in her career.  Campbell has tied Melissa Carr (1995, 1994), Allison Lipsher (2005, 2006) and Cassidy Powers (2008) as Duke record holders for shutouts in a single season with nine.  

“I think what is making us so successful, especially this season, is just that we are playing together, communicating well and making sure that if anything is breaking down we are able to fix it on the field and do it quickly,” commented central defender Natasha Anasi.  “It is also really helpful, especially with me stepping in, that these girls have played together for almost forever together.  It was easy for me to transition in there and having them know each other tendencies and helping me pick up their tendencies has been really awesome.  Tara has been awesome in goal so that is another addition as well.”

As a team, Duke owns 10 shutouts in 2011, which is tied for seventh most in school history.  The school record is 13.  The Blue Devils have allowed only one goal the last seven matches.

“I think Natasha [Anasi] is just playing at an unbelievable level -- cleaning things up, starting our attack,” said Church.  “Our whole defense -- Carla [Overbeck] does a fantastic job with the back players.  They are a staple.  The other thing is they are older to -- they are juniors, they have been through this, this is their third year.  We need them to perform like juniors and seniors and they are.”

The Blue Devils will next hit the road for three straight matches at Boston College, North Carolina and Wake Forest.  The match with the Eagles will take place on Thursday, Oct. 6 at 7:00 p.m.

Blue Devil Notes:

•  Freshman Katie Trees played a season-high 15 minutes off the bench.

•  Duke has only one home match remaining against Maryland on Oct. 23.

•  The 14 shots for Duke matched a season low.

•  The Blue Devils have scored only one goal the last two matches and three the last three contests.

•  Duke improved to 8-0 on the season when leading at the half.

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