Hawkeyes Drop Heartbreaker to Duke

Sept. 17, 2005

Box Score

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

The University of Iowa field hockey team (5-3) was just one goal away from knocking off fourth-ranked Duke (5-1) today. However, the Hawkeye offense stalled with 15 minutes left in the game, and the Blue Devils went on to win, 3-2.

Duke jumped into action with a corner shot and goal by senior Nicole Dudek five minutes into the game. The Hawkeyes earned three consecutive corner shots late in the first half, but all shots on goal were stopped by Duke sophomore Caitlin Williams. The Blue Devils pounced on their first opportunity to score after an Iowa corner and Marcy Burns scored at the 28:03 marks to give Duke a 2-0 lead heading into the half.

Two minutes after the start of the second half, Burns scored her second goal to put Duke ahead 3-0. Freshman Katie Naughton sparked Iowa with a score minutes later to cut the lead to 3-1. Both teams took turns on offense for the next part of the half with Duke taking four shots on their end, before the Hawkeyes got their chance. After a stroke by Debbie Birrell was blocked, Kara Zappone was there to follow through with a goal, shrinking Duke’s lead to just one goal. The Hawkeyes couldn’t muster any more offense after that and the Blue Devils picked up their fifth victory of the season, 3-2.

The Hawkeyes took just 12 shots in the game and only eight on goal. All of Naughton’s shots in the contest were on goal, with one turning into a score and Zappone’s goal came on her only shot in the game. Lauren Pfeiffer had five total shots and three shots on goal for the Hawkeyes, and Birrell was the only other Hawkeye to be credited with a direct shot on the goal.

The Blue Devils offense just a bit more effective than the Hawkeyes with nine shots on goal and three scores. Burns’ two shots on goal both turned into scores for Duke and Dudek had four attempts on goal resulting in one goal.

On the defensive end, both goal keepers had six saves in the game. Freshman Lissa Munley stopped Duke one attempt in the first half and had five saves in the second half. She has 32 saves in 2005 and has had just ten goals scored against her in eight contests.

Iowa field hockey action continues tomorrow in Durham, N.C. when they face Appalachian State. The contest is slated to begin at 11 a.m. at Williams Field on the Duke campus and live stats can be found at www.goduke.com/liveStats/liveStats.dbml.