CHAPEL HILL, N.C. –  Duke University freshman standout Kelly Cobb scored her first career goal in her first start of the season to led the 10th-ranked Blue Devils to a 2-0 victory over Houston (0-2), which opened the 2011 Carolina Nike Classic at Fetzer Field in Chapel Hill, N.C.

A native of Chugiak, Alaska, Cobb turned 19 years old on Friday and celebrated with a goal at the 8:32 mark of the first half to put the Blue Devils ahead 1-0.  Sophomore Mollie Pathman made a great run down the left side of the pitch and sent a cross in the middle to Cobb, who took a couple of touches and blasted an attempt that hit the back of the net. 

“It was a pretty special day for me,” commented Cobb.  “Being able to start for the first time and coming out and scoring a goal for my team is one of the best feelings to being able to produce.  It was great being able to come back on the pitch after spraining my ankle.”

Cobb became the first Duke student-athlete to score a goal in her first collegiate start since redshirt junior Ashley Rape and Cody Newman scored against Coastal Carolina in 2008.  Overall, she is the 16th Blue Devil in school history to score in her first start. 

“I thought she played very solid overall,” commented Head Coach Robbie Church.  “Scoring that first goal was huge for her and our team.  I was very impressed with her.”

With Cobb’s goal in the eighth minute, Duke now has scored goals in the first 10 minutes of play in all three matches. 

Duke had numerous chances the rest of the first half but couldn’t put anything in the net.  The Blue Devils totaled an 11-3 advantage in attempts.  Duke took the first eight shots of the game before Houston had its first at the 18:20 mark. 

A total of seven Blue Devils took shots in the first stanza with Cobb leading the way with three.  Senior Chelsea Canepa came in late in the first and took two, including a left-footed shot that went just right of the post. 

Junior goalkeeper Tara Campbell continued her stellar play to start the season as she made a diving stop to her left in the 43rd minute off a shot from Kelsey Zamora. 

“I would like for her to make less great saves than she has,” said Church.  “She has saved us a couple of times when we have been up 1-0.  Tara has done some really good things.  We had some lapses and we have to eliminate those lapses defensively.  It is great to have a veteran back there when you do have the lapses to really save you.”

Duke came out in the second half and sophomore Laura Weinberg opened action with a shot just two minutes in.  Shortly after her attempt, Weinberg made an excellent run down the right side and took the ball into the box.  Weinberg fed a cross into the middle of the box to a streaking Pathman, who was able to hit the top corner of the net.  The goal for Pathman, who is from Durham, N.C., was her first of the season and ninth of her career. 

“It was really all Laura as she had a really good build-up,” said Pathman.  “She played a perfect ball across and all I had to do its touch it in.  So really it was her goal.”

A product of Boca Raton, Fla., Weinberg is now tied with Pathman for the team lead in assists with two. 

Weinberg kept firing at the goal line and in the 59th minute sent a blast towards the left side of the net past the Houston goalkeeper but a defender saved the attempt from going past the line.  Following the team save, sophomore Gilda Doria attempted a shot that went just over the crossbar. 

“I thought Laura played terrific today,” said Church. “She worked really hard, created opportunities and took four shots today.  It thought she was really, really good.”

In the 63rd minute, Weinberg had another chance at her first goal of the season but Cougar netminder Cami Koski made a diving stop. 

Duke outshot Houston, 19-7, for the match and was led by Weinberg’s four shots.  Cobb added three, while five others took two shots each.  As a team, the Blue Devils played 21 student-athletes on the night.

“I think it was good,” commented Pathman on Friday’s performance.  “We struggled a little bit but we finished our opportunities so I thought that was good.  We showed ourselves that we can play consistently and win when we needed to.”

Registering her third straight shutout to open the season was Campbell in goal for the entire 90 minutes.  A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Campbell registered five saves.  She now owns 17 shutouts in three seasons.

“This was one of the toughest games of the year -- playing on Friday before we play a big nationally ranked opponent in the next game,” said Church.  “I thought Houston was terrific today. I thought they were scrappy and worked hard.  They got down early, but never dropped their heads and never gave up.  They worked very hard.  It [Duke] was a workman like performance.  It wasn’t has sharp and crisp as the other two games, but we won 2-0.  Everything is not going to be perfect all the time.  Especially in the second half, I was really happy how the kids gutted it out.”

Duke (3-0) will next take on top-ranked Notre Dame on Sunday, Aug. 28 at 1:00 p.m., in its final match of the Carolina Nike Classic.  The Fighting Irish dropped a 2-1 decision to second-ranked North Carolina on Friday evening as the Tar Heels netted a goal five minutes into the first overtime.

 - d - u - k - e -