DURHAM, NC - Francis Marion University, playing its third BCS-conference member and second nationally ranked opponent in three weeks, put up a good fight, but eventually fell on the road 4-0 to sixth-ranked Duke University, Sunday afternoon (Oct. 21) in women's soccer action.

Francis Marion (6-9-1) will play its final match of the 2012 season, Senior Night, on Wednesday as the Patriots entertain South Carolina State University at 7 p.m. on Hartzler Field.

Duke outshot the Patriots 37-3 and led in corner kicks 9-1. FMU freshman goalkeeper Taylor O'Berry recorded six saves.

Duke (12-4-1) scored via a Kaitlyn Kerr goal in the sixth minute to take an early lead. However, despite being under a barrage of shots, Francis Marion kept the margin at 1-0 until the 58th minute.

The Blue Devils added tallies in the 76th and 82nd minutes.

Sophomore forwards Chanel Harris (75th minute) and Dominique Evans (28th minute) recorded shots on goal for the Patriots.

The Blue Devils opened the match as the aggressor, controlling possession for most of the opening 45 minutes, but was only able to convert on one of their many opportunities. In the fourth minute, Kerr fired a header that was just outside the reach of O'Berry, but hit the post and bounced out. Junior Laura Weinberg received the rebound but hit her shot just right of the post.

Duke scored its lone tally of the first half a minute later off a corner kick by junior Gilda Doria. Doria played a short corner to freshman Cassie Pecht, who then turned and played a perfectly flighted ball to the back post. Kerr was able to run on the ball and head it into the left corner for her fifth goal of the year.

 

#6/8 Duke University (12-4-1) def. Francis Marion Univ. (6-9-1) 4-0
Date: Oct 21, 2012 Attendance: 389
Weather: 65 and sunny

Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-------------------------------
Francis Marion Univ. 0 0 - 0
#6/8 Duke........... 1 3 - 4

SCORING SUMMARY:
1-0. 5:35 DUKE Kaitlyn Kerr (5) (Cassie Pecht;Gilda Doria) - Cross from Pecht, and Kerr was able to put it in left corner
2-0. 57:09 DUKE Kelly Cobb (1) (Cassie Pecht) - Pecht played ball through to Cobb who buried it in upper corner
3-0. 75:06 DUKE Kim DeCesare (12) (Laura Weinberg) - Great cross from Weinburg to DeCesare who headed it into the net
4-0. 81:59 DUKE Katy Colas (2) (Mollie Pathman;Callie Simpkins) - Pass from Pathman found Colas wide open on the back post

Shots: Francis Marion Univ. 3, Duke 37
Saves: Francis Marion Univ. 7 (Taylor O'Berry 6; TEAM 1), Duke 2 (Tara Campbell 1; Meghan Thomas 1)