Duke Survives St. Joseph?s, 4-3, in OT

Sunday, September 6

Philadelphia, Pa.

2:00 p.m.

Duke University

vs. St. Joseph's

Duke Survives St. Joseph?s, 4-3, in OT

9/6/2009 4:45:00 PM | Field Hockey

By: Duke Sports Information

PHILADELPHIA, PA. - For the second game in a row, Duke found itself tied late with its opponent in Philadelphia, but this time the 10th-ranked Blue Devils came away with the overtime win. In the 84th minute of extra play, sophomore midfielder Tara Jennings scored her first goal of the season to give Duke the 4-3 victory over Saint Joseph's.

"I think we took an incredibly young team, dug deep, and won the game," coach Beth Bozman said. "We dominated play except for thirty seconds, but they were a very costly thirty seconds. I think our youth really showed in those moments today."

Duke once again opened an early lead on its opponent, with junior tri-captain Sarah Schoffstall scoring in the sixth minute with the assist from sophomore midfielder Rhian Jones, who a offered a nice pass from the corner of the endline. It is Schoffstall's second goal on the year and Jones' first assist this season.

Duke took a 1-0 lead into the half and increased it quickly in the second half with a goal from senior tri-captain Amie Survilla in the 44th minute. Freshman midfielder Mary Nielsen provided a pass across the arc that found the back of the cage off of Survilla's shot.

The Blue Devils' lead shrunk to one as Hawks' forward Ellen Rowe stole the ball in Duke's defensive half. Rowe took advantage and put the Hawks on the scoreboard at the 49:57 mark. It was Rowe's first goal of the season.

Saint Joseph's followed its first goal with another less than a minute later, as Hannah Rogers was able to steal the ball from Duke again, and passed to a diving Rowe who connected with the pass and netted her second goal on the year, putting the Hawks even with the Blue Devils at two goals apiece.

With the game tied, the Hawks pulled ahead off of a penalty corner by Jen Wrublesky in the 56th minute for her first goal of the season, and the Hawks third goal in six minutes. Jenn Schultz and Kellie Walter were credited with assists.

"They [Saint Joseph's] had three goals off of two breakaways and a corner, and the corner was a tip off of us that scored for them. It was really no more than a minute that they had any danger in our defensive third," coach Bozman said.

The Blue Devils were able to respond, as Survilla scored off a penalty corner with only 16 seconds remaining to pull even at 3-3 with the Hawks. That goal was Survilla's sixth on the year, and her fifth goal this weekend.

Duke entered its second overtime period in as many days, but in this session the Blue Devils came out on top. Jennings rattled the cage for her first goal of the season at the 83:21 mark, with freshman midfield Chelsea Amsley getting the assist. It is the first goal for Jennings this year, and the first point scored for Amsley in her collegiate career.

Duke managed to outshoot the Hawks 27-11, while also taking 17 penalty corners to the Hawks' six. Junior goalie Samantha Nelson had five saves on the day, while the Kelly Swanick had nine saves for St. Joseph's. Duke moves to 3-1 on the season with the win while Saint Joseph's drops to 0-2.

Duke returns home to take on Wake Forest at 1 p.m. next Saturday on Williams Field at Jack Katz Stadium. It will be the first ACC match of the season for the Blue Devils.

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