Spartans Drop Second-Straight, Falling To No. 4 Duke

Sept. 22, 2003

Winston-Salem, N.C. - The No. 7 Michigan State field hockey team fell to the No. 4 Duke Blue Devils on neutral turf Monday (Sept. 22) by a score of 2-0. The Spartans fall to 5-3 on the season as the Blue Devils improve to 6-1. The loss marks the first time since the 2000 season that the Spartans have lost consecutive games.

The two teams played the opening 35 minutes of the game to a scoreless tie, as Duke out shot the Spartans 6-4 in the opening stanza. MSU goalie Christina Kirkaldy kept the Blue Devils off the board in the first half with three saves in goal.

Duke's Katie Grant changed the scoreboard just 41 seconds into the second half with an unassisted goal. Gracie Sorbello added an insurance goal with 17:36 remaining, slapping a rebounded shot off a penalty corner. The Spartans were held to just two penalty corners in the contest while Duke collected eight. Duke out shot Michigan State, 16-8, in the contest.

The Spartans return to action Friday, Sept. 26 when they open the Big Ten season at Indiana. MSU returns home Sept. 28 to host Ohio at 1 p.m.