Blue Devils Fall To North Carolina, 12-11

Saturday, March 12

Durham, N.C.

TBA

Duke University

North Carolina

Blue Devils Fall To North Carolina, 12-11

3/12/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse

By: Duke Sports Information

March 12, 2005

Box Score

DURHAM, N.C. - Meg Freshwater scored with 2:35 remaining in the second half to give the Tar Heels their first lead of the game and ultimately the win, as eighth-ranked North Carolina defeated No. 4 Duke 12-11 Saturday afternoon at Koskinen Stadium. Tewaaraton trophy candidate Katie Chrest and Caroline Cryer each scored three goals to lead the Blue Devil effort. With the loss, Duke falls to 5-1 on the season and an even 1-1 in the ACC, while North Carolina extends their win streak to five for a 5-1 record and a 1-0 mark in the conference.

North Carolina goalie Kristen Hordy was stellar between the pipes, collecting 13 saves and a game-high five ground balls, while Katie Brooks shot 100 percent with four goals on four attempts after coming into the game with just one tally.

Chrest opened scoring at 24:35 off a pass from Leigh Jester and then Kristen Waagbo found the back of the net on a free position shot to put the Blue Devils up 2-0 early in the first half. North Carolina's Katie Brooks responded with two goals over the next four minutes to tie the ballgame at two-all.

Cryer broke the tie with her eighth goal of the season at 16:10 to fuel a 4-0 run for the Blue Devils. Jester, Chrest and Rachel Sanford all scored goals in that stretch to put Duke on top 6-2 with 3:59 to play in the first half. Freshwater closed the margin by one with her first of two goals to send the teams into halftime with a score of 6-3.

North Carolina came out strong in the second stanza, scoring two in the first two minutes off shots from Brooks and Jess Allen to bring the score to within one; however, Sanford and Chrest responded for Duke with back-to-back goals following draw control wins by Michelle Menser to go up 8-5. The teams then traded goals over the next 9:45 for an 11-8 Duke advantage.

Cryer's goal at 15:39 would be the last for the Blue Devils, as the Tar Heels held Duke scoreless for the remainder of the game. Jenn Cook and Brooks each netted a goal before Erica LaGrow tied the game up at 11 off an assist from Allison Higgins at the 6:30 mark. Duke won the ensuing draw control, but was unable to convert before North Carolina regained possession with just over three minutes to play and held onto the ball until Freshwater found the back of the goal at 2:35.

The Blue Devils took control of the ball with 1:23 to play after the Heels turned the ball over following a successful draw control, but were unable to convert on their shots in the span.

With the win, the Tar Heels gained one point in the Carlyle Cup race--an all-sport competition between Duke and North Carolina that is in its fifth year of existence. North Carolina holds a 10.5-6.5 lead in the current standings. Carlyle & Company, the Greensboro, N.C.-based jeweler, remains the title sponsor of this head-to-head all-sports competition. Duke has won the Cup in three of the first four years of the competition including last year by a 14-12 final margin.

Duke returns to action Wednesday at 2 p.m. against No. 2 Princeton in Koskinen Stadium.