Field hockey falls 2-1 to defending champs in exhibition matchup
For most Duke students, the week before classes is a time to relax, a chance to see old faces, a work-free break between a summer job and a semester full of schoolwork. The biggest obstacle of the day might be finding a parking space in the Blue Zone or perhaps deciding whether to loft or to bunk.
For the Duke field hockey team, on the other hand, this week was anything but challenge-free. After reporting to campus for preseason almost a month before most of their classmates, the Blue Devils faced an even bigger challenge last Friday afternoon--the field hockey team was wrangling with Wake Forest, the defending national champions.
In the end, the Demon Deacons, who bounced the Blue Devils out of both the ACC and NCAA tournaments in 2002, outlasted the host team and snagged a 2-1 victory in an exhibition game at Williams Field on East Campus.
Junior back Gracie Sorbello, who scored Duke's only goal, said the game was a good gauge of where the team stands after adjusting to its new coach, Beth Bozman.
"The game was a good learning experience," Sorbello said. "All we worked on in preseason [was] put to the test, and now we know what we need to work on for the season."
Friday's preseason contest was just the first match between Duke and Wake Forest this season. The Blue Devils and Demon Deacons, who faced each other three times last year, have two regular season dates on the schedule in 2003 and could play again in either the ACC or NCAA tournament at the end of the season.
Still, there was no bad blood on the field Friday.
"It's a healthy rivalry," Sorbello said. "We challenge each other. We get a lot of motivation when we play them. We know we can beat them if we put it together."
Kramer, men's soccer downs No. 10 Connecticut 2-1
In its second of two preseason games, the men's soccer team held on to a 2-1 first half lead and outlasted the Connecticut Huskies on Saturday night.
From the opening whistle, the Blue Devils utilized their midfield to attack the No. 10 team in the country. While pushing the ball outside and moving into Husky territory, Duke forced five first half corner kicks.
In the 19th minute of the first half, Danny Kramer lined up from the right corner and sent a ball spiraling into the penalty area. Defender Joe Kelly crowded into the box and deflected Kramer's corner kick which landed in front of senior Danny Wymer.
After playing in just six games last year, Wymer took the first opportunity he got this season and netted the ball past UConn goalkeeper Steven Behonick for a 1-0 Blue Devil lead. The Huskies wasted no time in retaliating as forward Cesar Cuellar moved into the penalty box and was awarded a penalty shot after two Blue Devils took him down. He capitalized in the 29th minute on the penalty shot and knotted the score at 1-1.
Play continued to move back and forth between teams, but Connecticut could not reach goal with any of its shot attempts.
Kramer, a sophomore, was in an offensive mode on Saturday, as he found himself in the midst of UConn's defense again with seven minutes remaining in the first half. This time, Behonick lost his footing and Kramer took advantage as he shot the ball wide of the goalkeeper's reach, and the Blue Devils took a 2-1 lead into the locker room.
The Huskies regrouped at halftime and came out firing from the start. Unloading four shots on goal and forcing four corner kicks in the first 10 minutes of the second half, it was apparent UConn had the upper hand. Trowbridge managed to make all the necessary saves and the Blue Devil defense, anchored by senior Matt Ahumada, kept the Huskies outside of their danger zone.
Connecticut's best scoring chance came 17 minutes into the half as Cuellar ripped a ball from 30 yards away and grazed the top of Duke's net. After Cuellar's blast, the Blue Devil defense collapsed and did not allow any solid scoring opportunities for the rest of the game.
Duke controlled the first half with five shots to one and UConn reversed the trend in the second half as they ended up outshooting the Blue Devils 11-9 for the match. During the physical match, 31 fouls were called and two yellow cards were dealt out to Kramer and Behonick.
Women's soccer outlasts Old Dominion in final warmup before season begins
Dashing across the field with nothing but opportunity in front of her, Casey McCluskey picked up right where she left off last year. Picking up the ball and cutting toward the goal, she made a dashing lead-in to a season made for her star to shine.
McCluskey, coming off a sophomore campaign that saw her rack up four game-winning goals and earn first team all-ACC honors, streaked, flipped and put the women's soccer team ahead for good with 5:03 remaining in the Blue Devils' final pre-season game of the year. Saturday's 3-2 come-from-behind win over lowly Old Dominion--the Lady Monarchs were 5-12-1 in 2002--sets the stage for Duke's season opener Friday against the Campbell Fighting Camels.
ODU's Becca McClain, without an official goal yet in her career, closed the first half with a goal and opened up the second period with another strike.
The Blue Devil comeback picked up soon thereafter, with sophomore Shelly Marshal--normally more of a passer than a scorer--popped in Duke's first score of the game. Lauren Tippets, one of eight freshmen in a class ranked eighth nationally by Soccerbuzz.com, tied the game at 2-2 with 20 minutes remaining.
From there, McCluskey just did what she does best: win the game.
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