Oct. 27, 2013
Box Score | Highlights | Watch Replay | Postgame Comments - Coach Starr
BOSTON - The Boston University field hockey team turned in an admirable performance against a top-10 team but came up short in a 3-1 contest with No. 8 Duke on Sunday afternoon at New Balance Field.
Both teams recorded 11 shots, including four on goal apiece, but the visiting Blue Devils were able to take advantage of the few chances they had to secure the victory.
BU held a 7-4 shot advantage in the second half, but missed on two chances in close with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Sophomore Sofi Laurito quickly answered an early Duke goal with her seventh tally of the season. The Blue Devils regained the lead in the 15th minute and then added another goal with just over 15 minutes left in regulation. Both of those goals were redirects in front of the cage by senior Emmie Le Marchand.
Duke held a slim 7-6 edge in corners and got a three-save effort from goalkeeper Lauren Blazing. Junior Valentina Cerda Eimbcke made one save in goal for BU.
The Blue Devils opened the scoring just over five minutes in on a flurry of activity around the BU cage off a corner.
After the Terrier defense blocked the first shot attempt, Cerda Eimbcke made a save on a rebound before forcing Le Marchand to shoot from a tough angle, resulting in a shot that went off the left post. Graduate student Cherry Seaborn was at the right place at the right time and knocked in the loose ball right in front of the goal.
BU wasted little time in getting an equalizer, as Laurito turned in an incredible individual effort to get the home team on the board just 88 seconds later.
After taking a restart in between the center line and the Duke 25, the sophomore dribbled through the Blue Devils' defense to the top right of the circle before switching directions and drilling a reverse-stick shot inside the left post.
Duke took the lead for good at the 14:24 mark when freshman Hunter Bracale's entry ball just outside the top left of the BU circle was tipped in front by Le Marchand.
Trailing 2-1, the Terriers put together a second half in which they outchanced the visitors but were unable to draw even once again.
Just over five minutes into the latter half, a long entry pass by freshman Hester van der Laan was tipped and the ball made its way to senior Nell Burdis, who had only Blazing to beat. Her attempt, however, hit the side of the cage.
Minutes later, BU earned its first of three second-half corners and attacked the goal with three quick shots, forcing Blazing and the Duke defense to make tough stops in order to protect their lead.
The Blue Devils went up 3-1 at 54:58 off a broken corner, as Le Marchand once again was positioned in front of the goal to tip in a entry pass, this time from junior Jessica Buttinger.
Freshman Taylor Blood and van der Laan teamed up on a 2-on-1 rush with just over nine minutes left in regulation. After drawing in the defender, van der Laan slipped a pass to an open Blood, but by the time she was able to get the shot off, Blazing was there to make the save.
BU, which has secured the No. 2 seed for the Patriot League tournament, will close out the regular season on Saturday (Nov. 2) when it hosts Lafayette. Game time is set for noon.
