Blue Devils Fall To Wake Forest, 3-2, In ACC Championship Game

Nov. 9, 2003

Photo Gallery

The Duke University field hockey team dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to Wake Forest in the 2003 ACC Field Hockey championship game at Turf Field on the University of Virginia campus on Sunday. Junior Chrissie Murphy sparked the Blue Devil offense with two goals in the loss.

The Demon Deacons got on top early scoring the game's first goal a minute and 54 seconds into the game. Junior Kelly Dostal netted her second goal of the tournament and team leading 23rd of the season. Senior Katie Ackerman was credited with an assist on the play to give Wake Forest the 1-0 lead.

Wake's goal would be the only score of the half as both teams played stifling defense allowing a total of five shots on goal with the Demon Deacons owning four and the Blue Devils one.

Duke tied the score at 1-1 in the 40th minute of play when the Blue Devils were awarded their second penalty corner of the game. From 15 yards out, junior Gracie Sorbello fired a shot on a goal that was saved by keeper Katie Ridd. The Wake Forest defensive was unable to clear the ball as Duke's Chrissie Murphy took the loose ball and scored for her first goal of the championship.

The Blue Devils went on top 2-1 in the 44th minute when Murphy scored her second goal of the afternoon. Sorbello found Murphy streaking toward the goal as Murphy's shot beat Ridd for the Blue Devils first lead of the game.

Wake Forest quickly countered as the Demon Deacons tied the score at 2-2 off a penalty corner in the 54th minute of action. Freshman Lauren Crandall was credited with the goal off an assist from junior Claire Laubach. It was Crandall's first goal of the tournament.

Both teams played scoreless hockey in the final 16 minutes and 51 seconds to send the game into overtime for just the seventh time in ACC finals history.

In the first overtime, Wake Forest would claim their second consecutive ACC Field Hockey Championship when Dostal scored her second goal of the game. Meyers found Dostal running toward the net and fed her a pass toward the Duke goal. The shot by Dostal found the back of the cage for the game-winner.

Duke, ranked second in the NFHCA Coaches Poll, played in the ACC championship game for just the second time in school history. Goalie Christy Morgan collected eight saves for the Blue Devils.

The NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship selection show takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 8:00 p.m., with games scheduled to begin next weekend.

The 2003 Atlantic Coast Conference All-Tournament Team

Kelly Doton, Wake Forest (MVP)

Kelly Dostal, Wake Forest

Lucy Shaw, Wake Forest

Ariel Meyers, Wake Forest

Hilary Linton, Duke

Johanna Bischof, Duke

Brooke Johnson, Maryland

Paula Infante, Maryland

Karen Mann, North Carolina

Rachel Dawson, North Carolina

Mia Link, Virginia