Two first-half goals provided just enough offense for the Blue Devils to hold on for a third straight win in their Duke Nike Classic finale Sunday afternoon.
No. 12 Duke dispatched Providence 2-1 at Koskinen Stadium after senior Taylor Racioppi and freshman Marykate McGuire each scored off impressive assists in the first 40 minutes. But the Blue Devils came away disappointed with their finishing in the second half, with nothing to show for nine shots, and their defense's shutout streak that lasted more than 400 minutes ended on a strike to the top-right corner by Friar forward Casey Estey in the final 15 minutes.
"We came out pretty energetic. We started off with two good goals in the first half, and we really wanted more," Racioppi said. "I don’t think we ultimately accomplished all of our goals for today. That being said, that energy is something that we realized we have to bring every single game. We’re good, but we have to bring it every single game. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is."
Duke (4-1-1) controlled possession from the opening kickoff, taking several threats into the box in the first 15 minutes. Kayla McCoy was knocked down 12 minutes into the match at the edge of the penalty area, leaving Blue Devil head coach Robbie Church screaming for a foul, though the referee swallowed his whistle. On Duke's next trip down the field, McCoy received a cross from senior defender Chelsea Burns in front of the net but had to rush a shot high of the frame.
Midway through the half, Duke finally secured the lead when Ella Stevens passed to McCoy, who delivered a ball to Racioppi at the edge of the box. The senior brought the ball to the ground to the right of the net with one touch and fired a shot past goalkeeper Shelby Hogan inside the far post.
"We did a really good job of keeping possession in the buildup. We found some good pockets," Racioppi said. "It was a great combination through the midfield, and then all I had to do was take a touch and finish, so they made my life pretty easy."
The Blue Devils kept pressing forward and doubled their advantage to 2-0 in the final 10 minutes of the period. Maguire found space in front of the net to receive a well-placed free kick from sophomore Karlie Paschall and finished a one-touch shot, leaving Hogan no chance to save it.
Duke's defense silenced the Friars (3-2-0) in the first half, as Providence forward Hannah McNulty took her team's only two shots on target that were both easily corralled by goalkeeper Brooke Heinsohn. Senior midfielder Kat McDonald made several successful tackles to change possession from the center of the Blue Devils' 4-4-2 formation the team implemented after its loss to Illinois two weeks ago.
"The players decide the shape. It’s just a matter of we’ve got a small roster, and I think we need to be balanced," associate head coach Erwin van Bennekom said. "We’ve given up so many opportunities of getting counterattacked and being unbalanced. We’re always going to score goals, and I think if we don’t give up goals, we’ll win games. That's how simple it is."
The Friars came out with more energy after the break, starting the half with a shot deflected out of bounds for their first corner kick of the match. Duke's defense cleared away the chance, but McNulty responded outside the box with another chance that sailed just over the crossbar, and Providence sent a dangerous cross into the box moments later that Heinsohn outleaped the Friar's forward to grab.
The Blue Devils quickly settled in, nearly striking again when Hogan had to make a diving save on a shot by Stevens. The ball rebounded to Duke defender Taylor Mitchell, who headed a shot off the crossbar.
"That third goal would have put the game away, and we kind of let them hang around, let them hang around and then it’s a game again," van Bennekom said. "Our learning process is going to be putting these games away, making it 3-0 before they’re even in the game."
The Friars cut the lead in half against the run of play in the 76th minute after a sloppy turnover by the Blue Devils in a dangerous area, leaving Estey with a clean look from the edge of the 18-yard box that she capitalized on perfectly.
"That focus, I think we still have to get a little better," van Bennekom said. "We still give away one or two opportunities a game, and any girl can hit a shot like that, and it can always go in."
Providence earned one corner kick with a chance to equalize, but Heinsohn came off her line to extinguish the threat. The Blue Devils wound up outshooting the Friars 13-6 and earned 12 corners to Providence's two.
Duke will return to its home field Thursday night to host Big Ten foe Nebraska.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.