Field hockey kicks off ACC tourney against UNC

This year, Duke's field hockey team had one of the best seasons in program history.

The Blue Devils tied a record for wins in a season (16) and achieved their highest ranking ever--their current spot as No. 2 in the country. The squad placed three players on the All-ACC team and recorded eight wins over top-15 teams and four victories over top-five teams, including a 1-0 victory over No. 1 Wake Forest in Winston-Salem. And what's more, the Blue Devils (16-2, 2-2 in the ACC) defeated North Carolina last month 5-0 at home, the first win over the Tar Heels since 1981, when Duke's 49-game losing streak had begun.

Now Duke is in Charlottesville, Va., where it begins playing in the semifinals of the 2003 ACC Field Hockey Championships today.

Wake Forest had the best conference record during the regular season and is the top seed. The other semifinalists all finished with identical 2-2 conference marks, although Duke did beat the Demon Deacons and Tar Heels in contests not conducted under the auspices of the ACC.

North Carolina was awarded the second seed based on a goal-differential-in-conference-games tiebreaker, while Duke was given third and Maryland fourth.

The Terrapins defeated Virginia, the fifth seed, 5-1 yesterday and will face Wake Forest tonight.

Somewhat fittingly, the Blue Devils face the Tar Heels today, the third meeting between the two teams this year. They spilt the first two contests, each winning at home. North Carolina won 4-1 in Chapel Hill more than a month ago, and Duke won the streak-ending game in Durham on October 18th.

Even though the Blue Devils had defeated Wake Forest and Maryland before taking down North Carolina, the win against the Tar Heels seemed to have a large effect on Duke head coach Beth Bozman's squad.

"Getting over the one big game against UNC was huge--huge. It was a big, ominous hurdle. Once they got over that they realized they can get over anything," Bozman said.

The Blue Devils come into the contest on an eight-game winning streak--they haven't lost since the defeat in Chapel Hill--and with a potent offense.

"We are in good place I think," Bozman said. "I really think we are playing our best. We are continuing to get better. Let's hope it continues."

Duke leads the country in goals per game with 4.67 and set a school record with 84 goals this year. All-ACC selection Johanna Bischof has 24 assists on the year, which leads the nation and is a Duke record.

Fellow all-ACC selections junior Gracie Sorbello and sophomore Katie Grant have combined for 93 points on the year.

North Carolina (16-4, 2-2 in the ACC) enters the contest with a high-octane offense as well. Its four losses have come against Wake Forest, Maryland and Duke in the topsy-turvey ACC.

And while there is much at stake in today's game, a loss to the Tar Heels will not diminish what Duke has accomplished thus far this year, said Bozman.

"Not at all," Bozman said. "If we lose tomorrow, we are losing against one of the top four teams in the country...After everything we've accomplished, it would be a speedbump on the way to NCAA tournament.

Our focus is now on playing UNC, but I don't think any loss would diminish the season. It would be more like dreams unfulfilled." The winner will move on to the championship where it will face the winner of the Wake Forest-Maryland game Sunday.

"We are definitely not going to be satisfied with the season if we lose tomorrow," said sophomore goalie Christy Morgan. "We are just going to go out there and play the way we have played all season."