No. 5 Field Hockey Nets Six Second-Half Goals In Win Over No. 16 Villanova

Monday, October 9

Philadelphia, Pa.

7:00 p.m.

Duke University

Villanova

No. 5 Field Hockey Nets Six Second-Half Goals In Win Over No. 16 Villanova

10/9/2006 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

By: Duke Sports Information

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The fifth-ranked Duke field hockey team picked up its 10th win of the season on Monday night, as the Blue Devils defeated No. 16 Villanova, 7-2, at Drexel University's Buckley Field.

Villanova recorded two goals in the first half as Duke found itself trailing the Wildcats, 2-0, at the 29:48 mark. Senior Hilary Linton then got the Blue Devils on the board as she netted her second goal of the season at the 31:21 mark to put the score at 2-1, where it would stay through halftime.

The second half saw Duke score six unanswered goals, as five more Blue Devils would record goals in the game. Freshman Amie Survilla got things started five minutes into the half with her sixth goal of the season, tying the score at two a piece. This would be the first of three goals scored by Duke in six minutes, as freshman Lauren Miller and sophomore Laura Suchoski each recorded scores to put the Blue Devils up, 4-2.

Junior Courtney Elliott then scored her first career goal to increase Duke's lead to 5-2, as she tipped in a pass from senior Cara-Lynn Lopresti at the 52:38 mark. The assist was Lopresti's sixth of the year.

The Blue Devils continued to roll in the second half as senior Amy Stopford, who was named ACC Field Hockey Player of the Week earlier on Monday, netted her tenth goal of the season off a penalty corner opportunity to put the Blue Devils on top, 6-2. Elliott then scored Duke's final goal - her second of the game and of her career - as the Blue Devils went on to defeat the Wildcats, 7-2.

Duke, now 10-3 on the season (2-2 ACC), got off 27 shots on the day, while allowing Villanova just nine attempts at the net. Junior goalie Caitlin Williams recorded four saves for the Blue Devils, as Wildcat goalie Alex Whalen picked up 10 saves. Duke had 7 penalty corners in the game, converting three into goals, as Villanova had two penalty corners. The Wildcats fall to 11-4 overall with the loss.

The Blue Devils will take on Drexel on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Buckley Field before returning to Durham. Next weekend will see Duke hit the road again for two games in Norfolk, Va., as the Blue Devils take on No. 3 Old Dominion and William & Mary.

- d u k e -