Oct. 10, 2004

Final Stats

COLLEGE PARK, Md.-The Villanova Wildcat field hockey team (8-4, 2-1) held No. 4 Duke University (10-3, 1-2) to just two goals in the first half but ended the afternoon with a 6-2 loss on Sunday at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex in College Park, Md. The loss ended `Nova's five-game winning streak, but emphasized the defensive skills of the team.

Villanova had a chance to get on the board almost immediately when they were rewarded a penalty stroke for a goalie foul. Senior back Vanessa Pizzulli (Oceanport, N.J.) took the stroke, but Duke goalie Christy Morgan made a diving save to keep the score at zero.

The Blue Devils got on the board first, scoring 12:20 into the contest when Cara-Lynn Lopresti caught a pass from Hilary Linton in the lower scoring circle and dished the ball into the goal. Duke then increased the lead to two at 25:57 when Katie Grant came in with an unassisted goal, a shot she set up from the side.

The Wildcats answered back less than a minute later, when freshman Stephanie Campbell (Gibbsboro, N.J.) earned her third goal of the season when she flicked a pass from Sarah Francis (Hummelstown, Pa.) past Morgan. Shortly after Campbell's goal, Megan Foster (Berlin, N.J.) took a pass from Francis and sailed it over Morgan's head for the second Wildcat goal.

Despite being out shot 21-8 in the first period, Villanova kept the score even going into the half. Not only did sophomore goalie Erin Scott (Malvern, Pa.) compile 15 saves, but Pizzulli and senior back Simone Schunk (Kutztown, Pa.) each came in with a defensive save to keep the Blue Devils from increasing their lead.

After the half, Duke scored four unanswered goals, two of them from Grant, while Scott earned another 13 saves. At the end of the afternoon, Grant accounted for three goals and an assist. Hilary Linton and Marcy Burns also added second half goals for the Blue Devils. Duke out cornered Villanova 18-0 but was only able to score on one of them, their fifth goal at 55:35.

Pizzulli added another defensive save in the second half when Scott came out of the goal to stop Grant from scoring again. Grant maneuvered around her, but Pizzulli stopped her at the line and cleared the ball out of the circle.

Scott totaled 28 saves on the afternoon, one less than the school record for most saves by a goalie in a game. While Duke out shot the `Cats 42-10, `Nova capitalized on the shots they did have by shooting five of 10 on goal and getting two in the net.

The Wildcats return to action on Wednesday, October 13th when the travel to Lewisburg, Pa. to take on Bucknell. Game time is 6:00 PM.