Blue Devils Blank Fordham, 2-0, In Duke/adidas Classic

Friday, September 19

Durham, N.C.

7:30 p.m.

Duke University

7-1-0

Fordham

3-2-1

Fordham

Duke

Blue Devils Listed 10th In Preseason Top Drawer Soccer Rankings

Blue Devils Blank Fordham, 2-0, In Duke/adidas Classic

9/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. ? The ninth-ranked Duke women's soccer team continued its hot start to the 2008 campaign as the Blue Devils blanked Fordham, 2-0, in the Duke/adidas Soccer Classic on Friday evening at Koskinen Stadium in Durham, N.C.

With the victory, Duke improved to 7-1-0 on the season and 4-0 at home, while Fordham dropped to 3-2-1.

The Blue Devils controlled the first half with junior Elisabeth Redmond taking the first shot of the contest in the ninth minute. Duke then broke a 166:51 first half scoreless streak off the leg of junior KayAnne Gummersall at the 19:19 mark.

Redmond started the attack as she drove down the middle of the field and sent the ball to Gummersall. A product of Wilmette, Ill., Gummersall fed the ball to senior Kelly Hathorn who gave it back to Gummersall, who hit the right corner of the net for her sixth goal of the season. The assist for Hathorn was the first of her season and came a minute and 51 seconds after entering the contest.

“Basically, what we talk about before every game is the starting 11 need to start the game and when we come in off the bench we need to keep the same level high,” said Hathorn. “So that is what I was really focusing on doing and I got a good opportunity to show for KayAnne and get the ball from her. She made a great run to get it back.”

At the end of the first half, Duke held a 6-4 advantage in shots and posted a 1-0 lead.

“I wasn't happy in the first half,” said Duke Head Coach Robbie Church. “I don't think we were focused in as well we've been during the course of the year. I thought we were very loose with the ball and I thought we almost got hurt with it a couple of times. We will have to do a better job on Sunday and a better job the rest of the year with possession of the ball. We were loose and we really sprayed the ball all over the field. That was very uncharacteristic of us this year to have that.”

In the second stanza, both teams played very evenly with the Blue Devils posting their second goal of the match in the 86th minute. Redmond fired a corner kick from the right side of the field and after a scramble in front of the net, freshman Cody Newman came away with her third goal of the season. Newman, who is a native of Bellerose, N.Y., had just entered the match a minute and nine seconds before registering the goal.

In the net for the Blue Devils, senior Cassidy Powers registered her second shutout of the season and second of her career. Powers, who is from San Ramon, Calif., had two saves in 90 minutes of play. As a team, Duke has now collected four shutouts this season and allowed only seven goals in eight matches. The Blue Devils have yet to allow a goal in four matches this year at home.

Duke held a 13-8 advantage in shots for the match.

“We have about 14 starters but the rules say we can only start 11,” commented Church when asked out Duke's bench. “We have about three or four players who could start at a lot of programs. We rotate Cody -- Kelly started two games in Ohio last week -- so we rotate those players in a lot. We are getting a lot out of those players with it to. It is a luxury for us to have the ability of those players come off the bench and be able to not have a drop in the level of play -- sometimes there is an increase in the level of play.”

In the first contest of the afternoon in the Duke/adidas Classic, fourth-ranked North Carolina downed Georgia, 4-0. The Tar Heels received goals from Meghan Klingenberg, Merritt Mathias, Mandy Moraca and Jessica McDonald.

The Duke/adidas Classic will close out on Sunday with two matches. North Carolina will face Fordham at 12:00 p.m., followed by Duke versus Georgia at 2:30 p.m.

Duke Notes:

? Junior Elisabeth Redmond moved into a tie for ninth place on Duke's all-time points list with 59, with her one assist on the night. She is tied for Dena Paris and is two points away from moving into a tie for eight place. Her 21 career assists is also tied for fourth on Duke's all-time charts, along with Lauren Tippets.

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