Duke Drops 1-0 League Contest Against No. 8 Notre Dame

 

October 25, 2015

 

DURHAM, N.C. – After allowing an unlucky penalty kick goal in the first three minutes, the 21^st-ranked Duke women’s soccer team went on to drop a 1-0 decision to eighth-ranked Notre Dame Sunday at Koskinen Stadium in Durham, N.C.

 

With the loss, the Blue Devils moved to 9-5-4 overall and 3-3-3 in league action, while Notre Dame improved to 12-4-1, 5-4-0. 

 

“I thought we battled [out there today],” said Duke head coach Robbie Church.  “We struggled during the course of the game connecting passes.  We changed a little bit trying to go direct in the second half, which is not really our style.  But sometimes on these Sunday afternoons late in the season – it is not a pretty game, but something you grind out. I thought as far as playing and playing hard I couldn’t ask for anything else.  We have to execute in these types of games.”

 

Notre Dame jumped on the Blue Devils early in the match as the Irish connected on a penalty kick less than three minutes into the match.  After a Duke player notched a hand ball in the box, Notre Dame’s Anna Gilbertson stepped up and drilled her ninth goal of the season to put the Irish ahead, 1-0. 

 

The Blue Devils found their selves down in the first half for the second straight match as Duke trailed Pitt, 1-0, before scoring three unanswered goals Thursday. 

 

Duke featured a couple of nice opportunities in the first half as freshman Taylor Racioppi tried to feed a streaking Kayla McCoy as well as sophomore Imani Dorsey attempted to find junior Toni Payne but both were a little ahead of the sliding Blue Devils. 

 

At the end of the first half, Duke trailed Notre Dame, 1-0.  The Irish had a 6-0 shot advantage in the stanza.  The Blue Devils were held without a shot in the first stanza for the first time this season.  The previous low was at Virginia with two attempts.  Duke didn’t attempt a corner kick as well. 

 

Duke was finally able to register a shot in the 52nd minute as Racioppi had a shot blocked and then Dorsey’s shot was redirected by an Irish defender and then saved by keeper Kaela Little.

 

A native of Elkridge, Md., Dorsey then had Duke’s third straight shot that just went wide of the left post in the 55th minute.  Four minutes later Dorsey made a beautiful run down the right side into the box and her shot barley stayed left of the post for Duke’s fifth attempt of the second half. 

 

The Blue Devils came back to outshoot the Irish, 8-5, in the second half but couldn’t put the equalizer on the board.  Notre Dame outshot Duke, 11-8, for the match.  Both Dorsey and Racioppi each finished with three shots to lead Duke.

 

The Duke defense held strong playing with three starters – Schuyler DeBree (knee), Cassie Pecht (ankle) and Rebecca Quinn (concussion).  Sophomore EJ Proctor finished the match with two saves over 90 minutes. 

 

In day matches, the Blue Devils continue to struggled as Duke now owns a mark of 1-5-2 in afternoon contests compared to an 8-0-2 record at night.

 

Duke will conclude the regular season next Sunday, Nov. 1 as the Blue Devils will host NC State at 1 p.m., for senior day. 

 

#GoDuke