Duke Closes Regular Season with OT Win at Liberty

Saturday, October 31

Lynchburg, Va.

1:00 PM

Duke University

Liberty

Blue Devils Return to NCAA Semifinals Friday

Duke Closes Regular Season with OT Win at Liberty

10/31/2015 3:36:00 PM | Field Hockey

By: Duke Sports Information

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The fourth-ranked Duke field hockey team held off upset-minded Liberty, earning a 3-2 overtime victory over the 10th-ranked Flames on a Heather Morris goal in the 73rd minute Saturday. With the win, the Blue Devils wrapped up the regular season with a 12-5 ledger and will next head to Charlottesville, Va., for the 2015 ACC Championship.

“I'm really proud of the non-judgment of the game, knowing that we just had to get back on it, and knowing that we had generated some great attacking opportunities,” said head coach Pam Bustin. “And as the clock is ticking and as the pressure builds, we have to make sure we execute. We had our opportunities – we had a series of corners and scored on one – but we've got to just believe we can capitalize and really lock into that. I think the momentum we brought into overtime was really important. I'm proud of how intelligently we played that overtime period.”

After Liberty knotted the score at 1-1 early in the second half, the Blue Devils earned a series of seven corners inside the final 15 minutes of the contest before converting on their 12th corner of the day. Sophomore Alyssa Chillano notched her fourth tally of the season on the direct hit with junior Robin Blazing and senior Amanda Kim earning assists. However, the Flames went on to even the match again with just over two minutes remaining. Alynn Richardson's shot found the back of the cage on a Liberty corner, and with neither side able to score again before the end of regulation, the game was sent into overtime.

Duke entered overtime down a player on a yellow card issued during the second half, but wasted little time in regaining momentum. Morris took a ball down the middle of the field and beat Liberty goalkeeper Mallory Cuccio one-on-one for the game winner.

Play went back and forth in the midfield for much of the opening half, with Duke holding the advantage in shots and penalty corners. The Blue Devils drew a pair of corners in the 27th minute and made good on their third corner a short while later when Morris registered the first of her two goals on an Aileen Johnson assist.

The goal gave Duke the 1-0 lead heading into the locker room at the intermission.

Liberty capitalized on a corner play of its own just five minutes into the second period as the Flames' Hannah Jones batted in a rebound at the back post. Redshirt senior goalkeeper Lauren Blazing locked down play around the cage in response, posting her third save of the afternoon on a diving stop on another Liberty corner attempt.

“We can do a better job with our ball possession," Bustin said. "It's something we have been focusing on and working on, and at times, have been really good with it and really sharp with moving the ball. I think today we just did it in pockets, and you've got to be able to sustain a more consistent attack with possession.”

Lauren Blazing finished with four saves while Cuccio had seven for the Flames. For the contest, the Blue Devils totaled 12 corners to six by Liberty and outshot their opponent, 15-10.

Duke received the No. 5 seed in next week's ACC Championship and will take on No. 4 seed and host Virginia (13-4, 3-3 ACC) Thursday, Nov. 5 at 11 a.m. on RSN/ESPN3.

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