CHAPEL HILL—The Blue Devils entered enemy territory to take on No. 1 North Carolina in the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament. Despite the team’s efforts, Duke fell to the undefeated Tar Heels 3-0 in Karen Shelton Stadium, ending its tournament run and its season. Both teams displayed strong defensive character, but North Carolina’s offense came up in crucial moments to propel it to the victory.
“They came out and they gave it their all,” head coach Pam Bustin said of her team.
The scoreboard did not reflect the efforts of the Blue Devils. Duke (13-7, 6-2 in the ACC) put up a strong fight against the Tar Heels’ infamous attack. Goalkeeper Frederique Wollaert demonstrated her skill as the Blue Devils’ final point of defense, taking nine saves against North Carolina’s 12 shots on goal. The team also managed to hold the Tar Heels (20-0, 8-0 in the ACC) to just three corners.
“We played a good game, and I think it starts with our defense,” Bustin said. “I’m very proud of their defensive efforts tonight.”
The first quarter displayed a competitive and composed spirit by both teams. The rivals exchanged possessions across the pitch, with North Carolina creating opportunities in the circle and testing Wollaert early. With pressure in the circle, Duke stayed true to the defensive character it has shown all season long. Bustin’s squad intercepted passes in the circle, swarmed the Tar Heel offense and remained composed.
In the dying seconds of the quarter, chaos in the shooting circle granted North Carolina the first goal of the competition. An unlucky deflection by the Blue Devils’ defense opened up a pass for the Tar Heels, which found its way to North Carolina’s Ryleigh Heck.
It was Heck, again, that added to the Tar Heels’ lead early in the second quarter. Opportunity struck for Duke when a yellow card was awarded to Heck in the middle of the second. However, the team was unable to capitalize with one man up.
North Carolina took advantage of the momentum created by its penalty kill and put its third goal in the back of the net with an effort by senior Kennedy Cliggett. In the final two minutes of the third quarter, a penalty corner provided a set play for the Tar Heels. With a quick deflection, Cliggett added to the lead.
Despite being down 3-0, the Blue Devils’ energy remained high throughout the entirety of the game, with the bench leading “Let’s Go Duke” chants periodically. The players visibly gave their all until the final whistle, continuing to press and fight until the end.
“They truly love one another; they truly love playing for Duke,” Bustin said. “It's always a difficult environment, but one that we've become familiar with, and I think that desire to play our best, and to not give up, and to continue to believe, that's something that our field hockey program takes a lot of pride in.”
“I think that their legacy isn't finished today,” Bustin added. “I think their legacy will continue through our juniors, our sophomores, our freshmen.”
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.