Allison Lipsher Posts Third Shutout Of Year; Duke Blanks Davidson, 2-0

Sunday, September 4

Chapel Hill, N.C.

3 p.m.

Duke University

1-3

Davidson

3-0-1

Davidson

#12/14 Duke

Allison Lipsher Posts Third Shutout Of Year; Duke Blanks Davidson, 2-0

9/4/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Duke Sports Information

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.? Going into the 2005 season, the Duke defense was going to be the strength of the 12th-ranked Blue Devils and on Sunday it held true picking up its third shutout of the season in a 2-0 victory over Davidson in the Nike Carolina Classic at Fetzer Field in Chapel Hill, N.C.

“Our defense starts with our forwards,” said Duke Head Coach Robbie Church. “Our forwards are getting better every game defending and pressuring the servers. If the opponents are not serving the ball it is an easy job for our backs. Our defense has been very solid.”

The Blue Devils came out firing at the Davidson goal on Sunday with two shots over the first six minutes of play by junior Rebecca Moros and freshman Christie McDonald. Then at the 8:44 mark, Carmen Bognanno and McDonald found junior Sarah McCabe who was able to beat her defender and blast a right-footed shot to the top right corner of the Wildcat net for her first goal of the season.

McCabe, a product of Sarasota, Fla., picked up her 14th career goal after finishing with nine last season.

“In the last couple of games, I have looked back and felt there were a lot of times that I could of had a goal and either passed or took another touch,” said McCabe. “I just saw the ball bouncing out and attacked it for the first time.”

Duke dominated the first half with nine shots on goal, while the Blue Devil defensive unit of Heidi Hollenbeck, Carolyn Ford, Rebekah Fergusson, Rachel-Rose Cohen and Kelly Hathorn limited the Wildcats to zero shots.

After a break for halftime, Davidson came out with a spark offensively and registered its first shot of the match by Kara Koehrn. But the Blue Devils came alive adding eight more shots and one goal by Hollenbeck.

The second goal of the match for Duke was started on a corner kick by Moros, who was able to find Lauren Tippets at the top of the goal box. Tippets then headed the ball over to Hollenbeck who headed in her first goal of the season to beat Wildcat goalkeeper Bevin English. A product of Hartland, Wis., Hollenbeck now owns five career goals over the past two years for the Blue Devils.

“Where I was on the field I saw Tippets receiving the ball and I knew she was going to head it over her defender,” said Hollenbeck. “I had positioned myself in a way that as the ball was coming towards me I could flick it back with my head because the goalkeeper was set in her place and wouldn't have time to react.”

Sophomore goalkeeper Allison Lipsher held on for her third shutout in four matches played this season for the Blue Devils. The native of Honolulu, Hawaii now owns 11 shutouts in 23 matches played at Duke. Lipsher finished with zero saves in the match, while English had five saves in goal for Davidson.

“I thought we had a great effort today,” said Church. “For us to get two goals today, which is a season high, is very exciting. Our goal was to get two wins this weekend and we did it.”

Duke finished the match with a 17-1 shot and 10-2 corner kick advantage in the game. In four matches this season, the Blue Devils have held their opponents to only one goal and 18 shots. Duke improves to 3-0-1 on the year and Davidson falls to 1-3-0.

On the All-Tournament team, Duke's Darby Kroyer was named the Blue Devil Offensive MVP, while Ford earned Defensive MVP accolades.

In the first match of the day, top-ranked North Carolina defeated Yale, 1-0. Duke will next travel to St. Louis for a 1:00 p.m. contest on Sunday, Sept. 11.

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