Duke?s Run Ends with 2-0 Semifinal Loss to UNC

Friday, November 20

Ann Arbor, Mich.

2:45 PM

Duke University

North Carolina (Semifinals)

Duke?s Run Ends with 2-0 Semifinal Loss to UNC

11/20/2015 5:32:00 PM | Field Hockey

By: Duke Sports Information

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Duke field hockey team saw its run in the NCAA Tournament come to an end Friday in a 2-0 semifinal loss to top-ranked North Carolina at Michigan's Ocker Field. Head coach Pam Bustin's squad finished the 2015 campaign with a final record of 14-7.

“Congratulations to the University of North Carolina for a great game and advancing in the 2015 NCAA Tournament,” Bustin said. “I couldn't be more proud of the Duke Blue Devils for the season they had and for their performance in the postseason.”

North Carolina wasted little time getting on the board, converting on a corner just over two minutes in. Malin Evert tipped in a Nina Notman touch as the Tar Heels took the early lead.

Strong play from the midfield set up the Blue Devils to get inside the circle, and the squad drew a pair of penalty corners within the final 10 minutes of the period. Sophomore Ashley Kristen got a touch on a drag by Alyssa Chillano that was blocked by the North Carolina defense, and a final attempt by junior Heather Morris was cleared away by Notman, sending Duke into the locker room at the intermission trailing by one.

Duke used two penalty corners to create opportunities in front of the cage at the beginning of the second half. Senior Hannah Barreca had an initial shot blocked before North Carolina's Kristy Bernatchez made a diving stop for a defensive save on her second offering. The Blue Devils were unable to capitalize on the next corner, and the Tar Heels took advantage on the ensuing possession when Evert deflected in a pass from Casey Di Nardo for her second tally. The goal extended the deficit to 2-0 with 27 minutes remaining.

Redshirt senior goalkeeper Lauren Blazing came out of the cage to cut off several North Carolina opportunities down the stretch and made a kick save on a final North Carolina offering inside the eight-minute mark. Sophomore Alexa Mackintire fired a shot for the Blue Devils with five seconds remaining that was turned away by the Tar Heels' Shannon Johnson to round out the contest.

“Statistically, we had our opportunities and I thought there were times when we controlled the tempo of the game,” Bustin said. “At this level, in this final weekend, it's going to be tight, it's going to go back and forth and it is going to come down to critical moments. They made some great, critical defensive saves – two defensive saves in a game can change it and it did.”

North Carolina held an 8-7 edge in shots for the match while corners were in Duke's favor, 5-4.

Blazing and North Carolina's Johnson notched two saves apiece while the Tar Heels also recorded two defensive saves.

North Carolina advances to a meeting with top seed Syracuse in Sunday's NCAA title match. The Orange defeated Connecticut, 3-1, in Friday's earlier semifinal contest.

The Blue Devils' senior class of Barreca, Blazing, Aileen Johnson, Amanda Kim and Sarah Urdahl concluded their collegiate careers with an overall record of 51-31 while guiding the program to two national semifinals appearances.

“They come and give us the best they have and the energy they have, and their attention to learning the game and improving,” Bustin said. “They've improved over four years. To see where they came in and see where they are now as leaders and as field hockey players is remarkable. As a coach, you're just so proud that they want that, and they're going to take advantage of all the coaching and all the time we spend with them to get here.”

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