Duke Falls, 2-1, To Texas A&M In NCAA Second Round On Sunday

Sunday, November 16

College Station, T.X.

1:30 p.m.

Duke University

13-5-3

Texas A&M

14-7-1

#12/14 Duke

#21/17 Texas A&M

Duke Falls, 2-1, To Texas A&M In NCAA Second Round On Sunday

11/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Duke Sports Information

Nov. 16, 2003

Box Score

COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - No. 17 Texas A&M scored late in the first period and early in the second and held on to defeat 12th-ranked Duke, 2-1, in front of 1,165 fans at the Aggie Soccer Complex.

Good scoring chances were at a premium in the first half, which only produced 11 total shots. The only good chance of the half resulted in a goal by Texas A&M with just 36 seconds left on the clock. Laura Probst received the ball on the left flank and dribbled to the left side of the 18-yard box, where she served a low cross to the far post. Freshman forward Suzette Devloo connected on a diving header that beat Duke goalkeeper Thora Helgadottir inside the far post. The goal was the first of the season for Devloo.

The Aggies increased the led to two goals just 1:51 into the second half. Kat Krambeer headed the ball to Emma Smith at the top of the penalty area. Smith took a touch toward goal and hit a left-footed rocket from 15 yards out, beating Helgadottir low and to the right for her ninth goal of the season.

Texas A&M survived a furious rally by Duke in the 60th minute when consecutive headers by Casey McCluskey and Carolyn Riggs were cleared off the line by A&M defenders Shannon Labhart and Linda Pierson, respectively.

Duke finally hit the back of the net in the 64th minute to cut the A&M lead to one. Consecutive passes from Gwendolyn Oxenham and Carmen Bognanno set up Carolyn Riggs inside the center of the 18-yard box. Riggs looped a right-footed shot into the upper-right 90 for her eighth of the season.

The Blue Devils continued to pressure the A&M defense, desperately trying to knock home the equalizer. A&M goalkeeper Kati Jo Spisak tallied eight saves on the match, including four late in the match.

Duke's best chance at tying the match came in the 74th minute when Carmen Bognanno had a one-on-one situation with Spisak from the top of the 18-yard box. Spisak came off her line and stymied Bognanno's shot to preserve the lead and the A&M victory.

For the game, Duke outshot Texas A&M 17-12.

The Aggies improved to 13-5-3 and advance to their fifth straight NCAA "Sweet 16". In 11 seasons of varsity soccer, the Aggies have been to the round of 16 six times. A&M will play fifth-ranked Penn State next weekend at Jeffrey Field in State College, Pa.

Duke, an at-large selection to the tournament from the Atlantic Coast Conference as the No. 12 national seed, ended its season with a record of 14-7-1.

Postgame Quotes

Duke Head Coach Robbie Church

"Sometimes when you take a 2-0 lead you begin to sit back. As the trailing team you have a lot of time left and you begin to play with a lot of urgency. (In the second half) we changed our mindset and pressed up higher. The wind was a little factor. I am proud of our team. We fought until the last second. We just were not able to get the tying goal. Texas A&M is a well coached team, and their defenders did the job they were supposed to do."

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