Duke Drops 1-0 Double Overtime Heartbreaker at No. 2 Virginia

Friday, October 3

Charlottesville, Va.

5 p.m.

Duke University

Virginia

Photo by: Keith Lucas

Duke Drops 1-0 Double Overtime Heartbreaker at No. 2 Virginia

10/3/2025 7:58:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Second-ranked Virginia scored 2:51 into the second overtime to hand ninth-ranked Duke a heartbreaking 1-0 loss in ACC field hockey action at Turf Field Friday evening.
The Blue Devils held the Cavaliers without a shot for a span of 50:48 in the game but were unable to find a goal, suffering their fourth one-goal loss of the season. Duke drops to 6-4 overall and 2-2 in league action.

After 70-plus scoreless minutes, Virginia got in behind the Duke defense after a fortuitous deflection off a long hit landed behind the last Blue Devil defender. Emma Watchilla ran onto the loose ball and deftly touched it around Duke keeper Kaiya Chepow to send it into the open cage for the victory.

How it Happened

The first quarter was an even affair with Duke having good possession throughout the opening 15 minutes. The Blue Devils' best chance of the period came off the stick of Madison Beach as the sophomore fired a shot high on goal denied by Nilou Lempers.
Virginia had a couple of dangerous circle entries in the second quarter but could not solve Duke's defense. The Blue Devils remained steady inside the circle in not allowing a single look at goal in the 15 minutes as the teams headed into the halftime break scoreless.
Duke earned its second penalty corner of the evening late in the third quarter. This time it was Alaina McVeigh nearly placing a redirect into the left upper 90 off a Julia Boehringer sweep. McVeigh's shot sailed just wide left of the cage, sending Duke and Virginia into the final 15 minutes tied at zero.
Defensively, the Blue Devils were outstanding again in not allowing a shot in the third quarter.
The Blue Devils continued to put pressure on Virginia's defense in the fourth quarter, earning another penalty corner five minutes into the period. McVeigh stepped up for the insert to Macy Szukics. Kyle Massey got her stick down on the sweep, but Lempers deflected the tip wide of the cage to keep the game scoreless.
Duke had one final look inside the last minute as Szukics sent her sweep from the top of the circle wide right of the goal.
In the first overtime, Virginia took advantage of having an extra player on the field. However, Duke goalie Kaiya Chepow came up big coming off her line to deny Mia Abello and then getting her glove down just in time to send a push a shot from Watchilla wide.
Duke's defensive penalty corner unit answered the call again at the start of the second overtime as Szukics blocked Abello's shot. The Blue Devils tried to get something going offensively, but Virginia ultimately took advantage of its best opportunity of the night in the end.
The Blue Devils outshot Virginia, 10-8, and had an 8-3 edge in penalty corners. Chepow finished with four saves while Lempers had two.

Notes

Duke did not give up a shot for 50:48, spanning the 10:49 mark of the first quarter until the 1:37 of the first overtime.
All four of Duke's losses this season have come against teams all ranked in the top seven – Nos, 1, 2, 5 and 6.

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