Oct. 14, 2008
Box Score
DURHAM, N.C. - There would be no repeat of last year, as the Ohio field hockey team could not upset the No. 5 Duke Blue Devils for a second-straight season, falling 4-0 to the Blue Devils Tuesday evening at Williams Field in Durham, N.C. Ohio (6-8, 4-2 MAC) defeated then-No. 4 Duke, 2-1, on a neutral field in 2007.
The Blue Devils (10-3, 2-2 ACC) used three first-half goals to gain control of the match, as junior Amie Survilla put Duke on top in the 14th minute, scoring off a penalty corner. Junior Brooke Patterson and senior Marian Dickinson earned assists on the goal. Ohio responded well, earning a penalty corner and firing two shots, but could not even the score.
"I think overall we played well. The intensity was good and our energy was good," Ohio head coach Neil Macmillan said. "We did a nice job of trying to run the ideas the coaches put in place for the team. Unfortunately, we were up against a better team and they made us pay for too many corners we gave up at the back and they executed on their opportunities."
The Blue Devils struck again in the 22nd minute, as freshman Megan Deakins stretched the lead to 2-0. Junior Lauren Miller garnered the assist. Just before the half, Duke made the score 3-0 on freshman Rhian Jones' goal, to go into the break up three.
Ohio would battle in the second half, but could not dent the lead. The Blue Devils notched their only second half goal in the 43rd minute. Senior Ashley Pultorak scored for Duke to earn the 4-0 victory.
Senior goalie Jessie Martin (Louisville, Ky.) stopped six shots in net for the 'Cats, including a stellar save on a Duke penalty stroke in the second half, while sophomore Samantha Nelson saved Ohio's lone shot on goal for Duke.
The Blue Devils held an 18-4 advantage in shots and an 11-2 advantage in penalty corners. Four different Bobcats fired a shot, with sophomore Katherine Ballard's (Charlottesville, Va.) being the lone shot to land on goal, while Duke had a trio of players take three shots, with Survilla shooting all three on goal.
"We started really well, especially in the first 10 minutes," Macmillan said. "We were in the attacking zone early, but we have to do a better job of taking our chances when we have them, especially when playing a top-five team like Duke, because they take advantage of our missed chances and create their own."
All 19 Bobcats saw the field during the match.
With the win, Duke holds a slight, 2-1 edge in the all-time series. The Bobcats have now faced five teams ranked in the NFHCA Top 20, with a sixth looming this weekend.
Ohio returns to action Saturday, Oct. 18, when they'll face another top-five team - No. 4 Michigan State (12-2, 3-0 Big Ten) - at noon EST in East Lansing, Mich. The Bobcats then travel to Mt. Pleasant, Mich. to take on MAC-foe Central Michigan (3-9, 2-3 MAC) Sunday, Oct. 19, also at noon EST.
