Field Hockey Falls To Wake Forest In Double OT In NCAA Semifinal Tilt

Sunday, November 12

Winston-Salem, N.C.

5 p.m.

Duke University

5 (2OT)

Wake Forest (Semifinals)

No. 4 Field Hockey Faces No. 10 Virginia In Regular Season Finale On Saturday

Field Hockey Falls To Wake Forest In Double OT In NCAA Semifinal Tilt

11/17/2006 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

By: Duke Sports Information

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The No. 4 Duke field hockey team fell to No. 1 Wake Forest, 5-4, in double overtime, in the NCAA semifinals on Friday evening at Kentner Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C.

The Blue Devils scored on their first shot attempt of the evening, less than a minute and a half into action, as senior Cara-Lynn Lopresti found the net for the seventh time this season to put Duke up 1-0, early.

Junior Caitlin Williams recorded her first of what would be eight saves of the game a minute later, as the Blue Devils held an early lead until Demon Deacon sophomore Christine Suggs slipped an unassisted shot past Williams at the 26:24 mark to tie the score at one apiece.

Suggs struck again with one and a half minutes remaining in the half, as Wake Forest would go into the halftime break with a 2-1 advantage.

Four minutes into the second half, sophomore Ashley Pultorak netted her sixth goal of the year to tie the score at two apiece. Wake Forest would then pull ahead with just over 27 minutes remaining in the contest, as Kristi Harshman converted on a penalty corner opportunity to put the Demon Deacons ahead, 3-2.

Williams and the Blue Devil defensive unit continued their stellar play to keep Wake Forest's advantage at one, as Williams picked up five second-half saves and the Duke defense broke up numerous plays all over the field, particularly inside the circle.

The Demon Deacons would pull ahead even further as Wake Forest converted on another penalty corner opportunity to increase their advantage to 4-2 with five minutes remaining in regulation, but the Blue Devils would not go away.

Senior Hilary Linton cut Wake Forest's lead to one with one minute remaining, as she scored an unassisted goal on a shot from the top of the circle for her sixth goal of the season. Then, with just 10 seconds to go in regulation, senior Liz Floyd tapped in a shot by Suchoski to tie the score at four and force the game into overtime. The goal was Floyd's second of the season, as Suchoski recorded her second assist of the game.

It would be a back-and-forth first overtime period as Williams picked up two saves and Demon Deacon keeper Crystal Duffield picked up one. Williams came out of the cage to make a key play with 40 seconds remaining in the period, as she booted away one of what was three Wake Forest shots of the period.

The second overtime period saw Wake Forest's Michelle Kasold convert on a fast break opportunity two and a half minutes into the stanza to give the Demon Deacons a 5-4 double overtime victory.

"I don't think I could have been prouder of the way Duke played today," said head coach Beth Bozman. "They put everything out there. You never see nine goals scored in a semifinal game. It speaks to the kind of game this was today. I'm very proud of the show we put on today. Unfortunately, we couldn't finish it off."

Williams ended the evening with eight saves, while Duffield picked up two for Wake Forest. Wake Forest out-shot Duke, 17-9, and out-cornered the Blue Devils, 5-3. Today's final combined goal total of nine marks the highest scoring semifinal game in NCAA Field Hockey history.

Duke ends its season with an overall mark of 16-6, while Wake Forest (22-1) will meet the winner of tonight's semifinal game between Maryland and Connecticut in the championship game on Sunday.

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