Courtesy: VirginiaSports.com Abby Taylor

The Virginia field hockey team notched its second upset of a top-10 team this year with a 5-3 victory over No. 9 Duke behind six saves from Devon Burnley and a two-goal, one-assist performance from Traci Ragukas. In front of a season-high crowd of 540, Lauren Elstein and Inge Kaars Sijpesteijn both contributed a goal and an assist in the victory as No. 15 Virginia (10-8, 1-4 ACC) sent the fourth-year class out with a win in its last regular-season home game. Duke (11-7, 1-4 ACC) was led by Amie Survilla’s two goals.

The Cavaliers jumped on top early as Kaars Sijpesteijn sent a pass to Taylor, who sent it from the backfield through the midfield up to Elstein, who was behind the Duke sweeper, well below the 25. The second-year collected the ball, attacked the circle, pulled left and scored into an empty net for a goal at 3:49. Virginia scored again as Kaitlyn Hiltz drew a corner on a penetration of the circle. Kaars Sijpesteijn’s direct shot was saved, but Ragukas was there to lift the ball into the nets at 10:55 for a 2-0 lead.

Duke answered with a pair of goals in 63 seconds as Dickinson converted a low option back to the injector at 24:22 on a short corner to start the rally. Then, 63 seconds later, Courtney Elliott sent a ball into the circle that was tipped into the cage by Amie Survilla, tying the game at 26:25. The teams went into the break tied at 2-2.

Virginia went back on top as fourth-year Katherine Bounds took a quick free hit at the 25, sending it up to Ragukas. Ragukas tapped the ball forward to Haley Carpenter, who slotted the ball to the boards for a 3-2 lead at 43:32. Another Hiltz entry into the circle drew another short corner. Kaars Sijpesteijn rocketed the shot to the boards for a goal at 45:21 for a 4-2 lead.

Duke tried to rally with a direct short corner goal of its own as Amie Survilla sent the ball to the boards at 56:58 to cut the deficit to 4-3, but Burnley and the Cavalier defense kept the Blue Devils out of the cage for the remainder of the game.

Virginia quickly attacked the circle, bringing the ball up the right side of the pitch. Elstein’s first shot was saved off the line by Brooke Patterson, but Ragukas got the ball back and stuck it in the cage for her second goal of the game and a 5-3 lead just 33 seconds after Duke had pulled within one. The Blue Devils pressed and gained two more short corners but could not get into the nets.

Both teams will return to action on Thursday, Nov. 1 in the first round of the ACC Championships in Newton Centre, Mass. Seedings will be announced after the completion of the Boston College-Wake Forest game, which will take place on Sunday, Oct. 28 in Winston-Salem.

No. 15 UVa 5, No. 9 Duke 3

Linescore    1    2    F    (records)
Duke         2    1    3    (11-7, 1-4 ACC)
Virginia     2    3    5    (10-8, 1-4 ACC)

scoring summary
3:49     VA    fg    Elstein (Taylor)                    1-0
10:55    VA    pc    Ragukas (---)                       2-0
24:22    DU    pc    Dickinson (Miller)                  2-1
26:25    DU    fg    Survilla (Elliott)                  2-2
43:32    VA    fg    Carpenter (Ragukas)                 3-2
45:21    VA    pc    Kaars Sijpesteijn (Elstein, Taylor) 4-2
56:58    DU    pc    Survilla (Dickinson, Patterson)     4-3
57:31    VA    fg    Ragukas (---)                       5-3

Keepers:
VA: Amy Desjadon (35 mins, 2 saves, 2 GA); Devon Burnley (35 mins, 6 saves, 1 GA)
DU: Caitlin Williams (70 mins, 5 saves, 5 GA)

Shots: VA: 8-10=18; DU 4-10=14
Short corners: VA 2-4=6; DU 2-6=8
Defensive saves: VA 0, DU 1 (Patterson)