Crouse’s Five Points Lead Blue Devils Past Ohio, 7-0

Sunday, September 22

Durham, N.C.

12:00 PM

Duke University

(7-0)

Ohio

(4-2)

Ohio

Duke

Leah Crouse

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Crouse’s Five Points Lead Blue Devils Past Ohio, 7-0

9/22/2019 2:31:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score Box Score Season Statistics Postgame Interview: Pam Bustin Photo Gallery

Duke Improves to 7-0 to Start Season

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Sophomore forward Leah Crouse turned in a goal and three assists as second-ranked Duke rolled past Ohio, 7-0, Sunday in non-conference action at Williams Field at Jack Katz Stadium.

Behind a five-goal second half, the Blue Devils won their seventh straight contest, marking the second-best start in program history.

Six different Blue Devils accounted for the season-high seven tallies, while redshirt senior goalkeeper Sammi Steele and the defensive unit notched their third shutout of the fall.

"It feels great to be home," said head coach Pam Bustin, whose squad played at home for the first time since Aug. 30. "It was a great adjustment for the team to get back into the class schedule, back into the routine here at home and kind of get their feet underneath them as we approach a three-week homestand."

It was Crouse who got the scoring started in the 28th minute, finishing on a pass from senior midfielder Haley Schleicher on the left side of the cage. Crouse then assisted on a Hannah Miller goal just under a minute later, extending Duke's lead to 2-0 at the intermission.

Sophomore midfielder Noor van de Laar capitalized on a Crouse pass a minute into the third quarter for her first career tally. The Blue Devils continued to attack the cage, as sophomore Olivia Sahaydak got in on the scoring with a goal off a rebound.

A week after leading Duke to a win over No. 7 Iowa, Miller secured her second straight multiple-goal performance with a tally at the 42:26 mark. That made it 5-0, Blue Devils, heading into the final quarter.

"We knew coming in that they were going to be strong in the circle and that they were going to pack their team in there," Miller said of Ohio's defense. "We just needed to use the circle and its width and just play our game, play with our intensity and just get the ball in the back of the cage."

Steele and Ohio goalkeeper Nele Graner both made stops in the early part of the fourth quarter before Duke saw senior back Jillian Wolgemuth score on a penalty corner opportunity and senior forward Libby Thompson tap in a ball from Crouse.

"With the competition we've had, we keep pushing them to make some changes and work on things and improve things," Bustin said. "With that comes little lulls or dips in the performance, but that's okay because I think, overall, our grit and our will to win and our ability to overcome those times has been fantastic. So we're going to keep pushing them, and as long as they can keep understanding the progress and the big picture, I think we have a great chance just to keep getting better from game to game."

Crouse's five-point performance marked a career high for the Virginia Beach, Va., native. Her three assists marked the most by a Blue Devil in a game since Crouse turned in three last fall in an 8-0 victory at Appalachian State.

Duke's defense held Ohio to eight shots for the contest, including just one in the opening two quarters. The Blue Devils racked up 24 shots, placing 15 on goal, and totaled nine penalty corners to five by the Bobcats.

Steele made three stops in cage before freshman goalkeeper Charlotte Johnson came on for her first career appearance in a Blue Devil uniform. Ohio's Graner and Sophia Boothby split time in goal, combining for eight saves.

Duke remains in Durham next weekend, hosting Syracuse Friday at 5 p.m. and Stanford Sunday at 1 p.m. Both contests will be broadcast on ACCNX. In addition, the homestand marks Alumni Weekend for the program.

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