Duke and Notre Dame face off for the second time this season. This time on Memorial Day for the right to take home the National Championship. Duke is the defending champion and has two resting in Durham. This would be the first for the Fighting Irish.
Fifty-five minutes from face off and Duke has taken the field first. Josh Dionne won’t play but it is good to see him without crutches for the first time since the injury in the Quarterfinal round.
Stay tuned as we lead up to face off for the 2014 National Championship.
The captains have met. Each team is doing half field skeleton drills. We are 25 minutes from faceoff. The crowd is filling in and the atmosphere is alive in Baltimore.
Starting Lineups:
Notre Dame Duke
Attack: Scioscia, Doyle Kavanagh Wolf, Matheis, Keenan
Midfield: Marlatt, Perkovic, Brosco Jones, Class, Walsh
Defense: O’Hara, Landis, Epple Hipps, Lobb, Carroll
Goalie: Kelly Aaron
Both teams are on the field. Six minutes before the face off. National Anthem coming…
The Irish and Blue Devils are meeting at midfield. Goalies shake hands and we are moments from starting. Fowler and Ossello at the X.
1-0 Duke. Christian Walsh scores on a high bouncer. Duke left Will Haus on the field for an offensive run and his pass bounces past everyone and Walsh finds it. Fowler wins the next face off.
The action is end to end. Notre Dame has come close to breaking onto the scoreboard, but nothing yet. They call a timeout with 4:08 in the quarter. Duke has had chances to open up the scoring but Conor Kelly is up to the task.
2-0 Duke with eight seconds left. Jones splits right and finds Deemer Class. Class rips one by Kelly.
Duke up 2-0 at the end of the first.
Looked like 3-0 Duke when Will Haus scored, but they were off sides.
3-0 Duke. Midfield weave play is working for Duke all weekend. Jones with a mid range shot from Jordan Wolf.
Notre Dame wins the following face off and they take a time out. The coaching staff knows that they need to finally beat the Duke defense soon. ***With the assist, Jordan Wolf has broken the Duke single season points record. Matt Danowski held the record back in 2008.***
3-1 Duke. Matt Kavanagh scores with an outside shot by using the screen to block Aaron.
4-1 Duke. Deemer Class from Christian Walsh. Its hot on the field. Wondering if the midfield dominance will continue until the end. The second midfield hasn’t been getting much run for Duke.
5-1 Duke. Great save by Aaron. Will Haus goes end to end.
First penalty of the game come with 2:23 left in the half. 30 second technical foul on ND’s illegal procedure.
5-1 at the half in favor of Duke. Notre Dame penalty on John Scioscia’s offside. Duke starts with the ball and a thirty second technical foul.
6-1 Keenan from Bruckner. Duke extra man tally.
Conor Kelly is making some saves for Notre Dame as Duke’s offense is getting good shots.
6-2 Duke. Sergio Perkovic with an unassisted goal. Lefty drive that beats Aaron.
Conor Kelly really is playing at his best. If the Fighting Irish can make a run on offense, it is on the back of Kelly.
7-2 Duke. Thomas Zenker in transition from Jordan Wolf.
Media Time out. With the assist, Duke’s Wolf has three hundred career points.
8-2 Duke. Miles Jones from Jordan Wolf.
**Wolf is the first Duke player to hit the century mark in points with that assist.**
8-3 Duke. Sergio Perkovic with a right hand bomb past Aaron. So far Perkovic is 66% of Notre Dame’s scoring touch.
8-4 Duke. Notre Dame’s first assisted goal. Ben Pridemore assisted by Will Corrigan.
With 19 seconds on the clock, Duke penalty on Chris Hipps.
8-4 Duke at the end of the 3rd.
Today’s attendance: 25,584
Start of the fourth –
8-5 Duke. Matt Kavanagh with a diving finish to beat Aaron. ND just wouldn’t give up on the ride.
8-6 Duke. Kavanagh to Perkovic on the ND extra man.
9-6 Duke when Jordan Wolf takes on the entire Irish defense.
9-7 Duke. Ensuing face off when Liam O’Connor pinch and popped against Fowler and found Scioscia in tight.
9-8 Perkovic with another. Media time out with five minutes remaining. This one looks like it is going down to the wire.
10-8 with 2:39. Kyle Keenan from Jordan Wolf.
Conor Kelly stones Jordan Wolf in tight. Notre Dame turns it over in transition and 10 man rides to get possession back.
1:06 left in the contest. Notre Dame ball. Perkovic hits two pipes as he has the hot hand for sure. Giving the Irish hope.
10-9 Perkovic again.
Duke time out with 30.5 remaining. It is going down to the wire.
11-9 Wolf might have just iced it. 23.6 left in the 4th.
and its over as Duke goes back to back National Championships.
The All Tournament Team
Conor Kelly, Goalie
Kyle Keenan, Midfield
Myles Jones, Midfield
Wes Berg, Attack
Matt Kavanagh, Attack
Will Haus, Short stick defensive midfield
Deemer Class, Midfield
Sergio Perkovic, Midfield
Jordan Wolf, Attack – Named 2014 Most Outstanding Player
