Aisling Coyle leads scoring effort with a goal and an assist

COLUMBUS, Ohio - For the first time in program history, the Ohio State field hockey team, ranked 15th in the nation, downed No. 13 Duke, 2-1, Sunday at North Turf Field, putting the icing on the cake for Senior Day.

A strong defensive effort led by Buckeye co-captains Aisling Coyle and Lindsay Quintiliani held the Blue Devils off the board until 45:43 despite Duke's 12-4 advantage in shots and 7-1 lead in penalty corners.

Ohio State improves to 12-5 overall and ends 2009 with a 9-1 record at home which ranks as the program's second-best ledger in Columbus this decade. In 2006, the senior class' first season, the Buckeyes were perfect at home, going 6-0.

"Overall, we did a great job staying organized in the midfield and intercepting passes," Anne Wilkinson, Ohio State head coach, said. "We were able to manage Duke's numbers up top and we played a composed game.

"Coyle did a great job knowing when to attack from the backfield and where to distribute the ball."

The Buckeyes started the game fast as junior forward Jena Cacciatore beat a Blue Devil back down the left sideline and saw Coyle crashing toward the backside of the Duke net. Coyle put it all on the line, diving face first to get a stick on Cacciatore's pass to give Ohio State a 1-0 lead at 6:38, slipping the ball past DU goalkeeper Samantha Nelson for her sixth goal of the season.

The remainder of the half was a defensive battle. The Blue Devils had two penalty corner attempts and five shots, none of which were put on goal vs. Buckeye keeper Quintiliani in the first half. Seniors Rachel Hunter and Natalia Ciminello, junior Morgan Clark and sophomore Jenn Sciulli worked hard in the Ohio State backfield, breaking up Duke's offensive strategy.

After the halftime break, the Buckeyes earned their only penalty corner of the game and made it worthwhile as sophomore Maria Briones crashed into the circle in time to flick Coyle's shot from the top of the circle into the air and over the Blue Devil defense to go up 2-0 at 43:43.

Ohio State's two-goal lead was cut to one just two minutes later as Duke's Abby Hassinger started the penalty corner and finished it, sneaking the ball into the left corner off a rebound at 45:45.

Duke received four more penalty corners in the remaining 25 minutes of play but Quintiliani made three second-half saves to ensure the Buckeyes' 2-1 victory. The Mountain Top, Pa., native now leads Ohio State's all-time career record book with 40 wins. Quintiliani has 210 career saves, just one shy of tying Allison Blanton (1998-01; 211) for eighth.

The senior class of Ciminello, Hunter, Melissa Hunter, Melissa Palm, Quintiliani and Ali Ristas has won 47 contests since arriving in Columbus in 2006.

Up next, Ohio State concludes the regular-season at Northwestern next Saturday at 1 p.m. in Evanston, Ill.