DURHAM, N.C. – In a back-and-forth scoring contest in Durham Sunday afternoon, the 22^nd-ranked Duke women’s soccer dropped a 4-3 decision to seventh-ranked Penn State to close the Duke Nike Classic at Koskinen Stadium. 

 

With the loss, the Blue Devils snapped a three-match win streak and fell to 3-3 on the year, while Penn State improves to 4-1.  North Carolina claimed the Duke Nike Classic title with two victories over Arkansas (2-1) and Penn State (1-0, 2OT). 

 

“This is a tough one to swallow here,” said Duke head coach Robbie Church.  “We did a lot of things well today, especially offensively.  I am really disappointed with the way we defended, especially when we gave up goals.  We have work to do on the defensive end from all over the field – goalkeepers, backs, midfielders and forwards.  We gave up a couple of soft goals and you cannot do that against quality opponents.”

 

Duke senior Kelly Cobb was selected the Offensive MVP, while North Carolina’s Brooke Elby earned Defensive MVP accolades.  Other All-Tournament team members were Toni Payne (Duke), Christina Gibbons (Duke), Emily Hurd (Penn State), Frannie Crouse (Penn State), Kaylyn Cooper (Arkansas), Salina Williford (Penn State), Satara Murray (North Carolina), Erika Miller (Arkansas), Jessie Scarpa (North Carolina), Summer Green (North Carolina).

 

“Kelly Cobb and Toni Payne were very good in both games,” said Church.  “Kelly is a senior and we need her to play like a senior.  She played like a senior this weekend.”

 

Penn State jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as Hurd beat a Duke defender and finished inside the left post at the 17:42 mark.  The Blue Devils didn’t wait long to even the match as freshman Morgan Reid found Cobb in the right corner of the pitch.  A native of Chugiak, Alaska, Cobb drove towards the edge of the box and placed a left-footed shot over the fingertips of Nittany Lion keeper Britt Eckerstrom at the 21:33 mark. 

 

Just over 10 minutes later, Penn State took a 2-1 lead as Katy Keen found Mallory Weber for her fourth goal of the season. 

 

At the half, Duke outshot the Nittany Lions, but Penn State held a 2-1 lead. 

 

The Blue Devils equalized the match as freshman defender Schuyler DeBree stepped up from the back and placed a great pass to sophomore Rebecca Quinn.  A product of Toronto, Canada, Quinn was able to fire her first collegiate goal into the bottom left corner of the goal at the 53:45 mark. 

 

The tie would not last long as less than three minutes later the Nittany Lions’ Crouse fired a shot at Duke keeper Ali Kershner.  A redshirt junior from Palo Alto, Calif, Kershner was able to get her hands on it but could not corral the ball and it rolled into the net. 

 

As the Blue Devils needed a goal to even the match, Duke sent a long free kick into the box. Duke’s Gibbons was taken down in the penalty area and the Blue Devils were awarded a penalty kick.  Gibbons, who is from Raleigh, N.C., finished her first collegiate goal to even the match, 3-3, with 21:40 remaining in the match. 

 

Penn State kept going after the Duke goal and once again was able to get it past the Blue Devil defense for the decisive goal to take a 4-3 lead with only 6:33 left in the match. 

 

Payne, who had scored in three straight matches, had a great chance late in the match but her shot went just wide of the right post.

 

For the contest, Duke outshot Penn State, 20-14.  Both Quinn and Payne led the way for the Blue Devils with four shots each. 

 

Kershner finished with four saves in the net for Duke as she played 84:39 minutes until freshman EJ Proctor came in to play the final 5:21. 

 

“This team has character and I have said that from the beginning,” said Church.  “It is very, very good offensively, but to get us to the elite area that we want to go we have to get better defensively.  The ACC is looming and it is not long before we start in that area.  We cannot match goals for goals or we will be in a lot of 4-3 games.”

 

Duke will next travel to Charlottesville, Va., to face Hofstra in a neutral site match Friday, Sept. 12 at 3:00 p.m.  The Blue Devils will then return home to host LSU Sunday, Sept. 14 at 1:00 p.m.  The match will be aired live on the Blue Devil Network.

 

Notes:

• Duke scored three goals for the third straight match.
• The Blue Devils have started at least four freshmen in each of the six matches to open the season.
• Kelly Cobb now owns 25 career goals and is one away from moving into a tie for 10^th on the Duke all-time charts. 
• Both Rebecca Quinn and Christina Gibbons netted their first career goals.
• Defenders Morgan Reid and Schuyler DeBree each posted their first collegiate assist.

 

#GoDuke