The independent news organization of Duke University
In the past six games, the Blue Devils have only won a single game—raising the question of whether Duke (6-10, 0-6) has what it takes to be competitive in next week’s ACC championship. But this weekend gave some hope.
Louisville didn’t take long to strike after arriving in Durham. Not even the hours-long bus ride could stymie the Cardinals, with junior Julie Kouijzer netting the first tally of the game on a penalty corner with 11:58 to play in the first quarter.
The Blue Devils fell 3-1 Friday to the 15th-ranked Demon Deacons and it was clear that the Wake Forest would not be an easy target by the third minute of the game.
Duke’s defense excelled against Princeton’s aggressive offense, holding the Tigers scoreless through the first half as sophomore goalie Piper Hampsch made three saves in the first two quarters and nine total in a performance that led to her winning ACC Defensive Player of the Week.
When all was said and done, the Blue Devils had only registered four shots, none on goal, to Maryland’s 17 and 11 on goal.
Senior Leah Crouse and the U21/22 U.S. National Team won a bronze metal at the Junior Pan American Championship and qualified for the Junior World Cup on Saturday. By Sunday at midday, Crouse was back on the field to lead Duke in its 1-0 victory against Richmond.
With so much young talent and a thirst for victory, this year’s Blue Devils are not to be missed.
Every time she steps on the turf, she is ready to learn. With a full season coming shortly, Hampsch will have ample opportunities to put that learning spirit into action.
It was the kind of ending that sophomore Hannah Miller will never forget.
Hearts were broken Friday afternoon.
Despite the result, Duke continued to improve throughout the game, following the theme of its season as a whole.
The Blue Devils look dramatically different than they did in the fall, and although the road to the NCAA tournament is filled with twists and turns, Duke is very much in the conversation.
The early spring sunshine was out for all 60 minutes of Duke’s bout with Virginia, but it was Darcy Bourne and Piper Hampsch who shined the brightest.
For a while it looked like an ACC tournament semifinal appearance was a realistic possibility. But in the end, it just wasn’t meant to be.
The duo of Darcy Bourne and Eva Nunnink once again led the Blue Devils.
On a rainy fall day, it was the spring chickens who shined.
Duke vs. North Carolina never disappoints. The old saying is commonly expressed with regard to the two schools’ basketball teams, but rings true for just about any sport, including field hockey.
Sparks of a great Duke team were there Sunday, but the Blue Devils may start wondering when those sparks will become a fire.
You may have seen Darcy Bourne before, and it’s not because she’s already a star on Duke’s field hockey team.
The Tar Heels' loss to Louisville Friday was their first defeat since 2017, breaking a 47-game winning streak that was the longest active streak in all of Division I college sports.
