#18 Connecticut Upends #10 Duke, 2-1, In North-South Challenge

Sunday, September 3

New Haven, Conn.

1 p.m.

Duke University

3-1-0

Connecticut

2-1-1

#10/11 Duke

#18/25 Connecticut

GoDuke.com Q&A With Women's Soccer's Lauren Tippets

#18 Connecticut Upends #10 Duke, 2-1, In North-South Challenge

9/3/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Duke Sports Information

NEW HAVEN, CONN.? The 10th-ranked Duke Women's Soccer team (3-1) suffered its first loss of the 2006 campaign on Sunday as the Blue Devils fell, 2-1, to 18th-ranked Connecticut on the second day of the North-South Challenge in New Haven, Conn.

“I am disappointed in the match,” said Duke Head Coach Robbie Church. “I didn't think we started as well as we needed to start the game against a good team. My job is to have them ready to play and I didn't think we were as ready to play as we needed to be. When you go down 2-0 to a tough team it is hard to come back. We battled back and had a number of opportunities to get the tying goal.”

Connecticut (2-1-1) got on the board early in the first half as Karyn Riviere found Meghan Schnur, who registered her first goal of the season off a redirected pass that went through Duke goalkeeper Cassidy Powers legs. Powers, a sophomore from San Ramon, Calif., was making her first career start and it was her first appearance in 2006.

The Huskies increased the lead to 2-0 in the 24th minute as Riviere once again assisted on a goal finding Brittany Taylor for a left-footed score.

Duke didn't back down from a 2-0 deficit as just six minutes later senior Lauren Tippets posted her first goal of the season and 11th of her career off an assist from Elisabeth Redmond. Redmond, who is freshman from Morristown, N.J., posted her third assist on the season.

At the end of the first half, the Blue Devils held a 4-3 shot advantage, but had five offsides calls against them.

In the second stanza, junior Allison Lipsher took over in goal for Duke, but the Blue Devils were held to only three shots over the final 45 minutes of play.

“We got called offsides a number of times today,” said Church. “We had most of the plays in the match but didn't get the last ball to get the final shot. We made some bad decisions today.”

For the match, Connecticut held a 9-7 shot advantage and the Blue Devils were called for offsides a total of nine times.

“Connecticut is a good team, but it was a game that we should have won,” said Church. “We didn't get the job done. We didn't have the focus, concentration and desire today as we have to have. When you don't come out with that against a ranked opponent. Hopefully it is a lesson learned.”

Each team received an Offensive and Defensive MVP for the North-South Challenge. For the Blue Devils freshman defender Sara Murphy earned Defensive MVP, while Redmond was named Offensive MVP.

Duke will next travel to Birmingham, Ala., for the UAB Nike Classic on Sept. 8 and 10. The Blue Devils will face UAB on Sept. 8 at 7:00 p.m. and then will battle Kansas on Sept. 10 at 12:00 p.m. After traveling to Alabama, Duke will return home to host the annual Duke adidas Classic on Sept. 15 and 17 with North Carolina, Marquette and Florida seeing action.

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