Laura Hurff scored the game-winning goal in the 64th minute to lift the Orange past Duke.
Laura Hurff scored a goal in the final 10 minutes to break a 1-1 tie and Borg van der Velde made a penalty stroke save with three minutes to go to deliver the No. 9 Syracuse field hockey team (10-3, 2-3 ACC) a huge conference win over No. 2 Duke (9-2, 2-2 ACC) Saturday afternoon.
Duke managed to get on the board just 6:05 into the action, when Rose Tynan finished a rebound for the Blue Devils to give them a 1-0 lead.
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However, the Orange rallied 12 minutes later when Jennifer Bleakney slammed home a rebound of her own in the 19th minute to send the game to halftime knotted at one.
The back-and-forth play continued with neither team managing to strike until Hurff netted the game-winner in the 64th minute. She redirected a shot from Lagerweij to put Syracuse ahead for good.
GOALLL HURFF WINS IT! 'Cuse downs #2 Duke in a big ACC win. pic.twitter.com/nswXFuHBft
— Orange Field Hockey (@CuseFH) October 7, 2017
The Blue Devils did not go away quietly though, as five minutes later Duke was awarded a stroke with a chance to tie. However, Van der Velde sprawled to her right and deflected the opportunity away to seal the win.
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Syracuse outshot Duke 13-9 in the win. The Orange also garnered five corners compared to just one from Duke.
HUGE penalty stroke save from van der Velde with 3 minutes to go as well to preserve the win. pic.twitter.com/AHrpHhXNkD
— Orange Field Hockey (@CuseFH) October 7, 2017
Syracuse will next take on No. 3 Virginia at home on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET in a game that will be broadcasted on ACC Network Extra.
