WILMINGTON, North Carolina – Senior defender Caitlin Cosme and senior midfielder Tess Boade each scored a goal and added an assist as No. 5 Duke opened the spring portion of its schedule with a 3-0 victory over UNCW in non-conference women's soccer action at the UNCW Soccer Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Blue Devils, who made their first regular season visit to Wilmington, improved to 8-4-2 on the season while the Seahawks saw their record move to 2-2-0.
Boade gave Duke a quick 1-0 lead when she scored her fourth goal of the season on a chip shot from outside the penalty area that curled inside the far post. Cosme and junior forward Mackenzie Pluck were credited with the assists.
With 18:13 remaining in the first half, Cosme extended the advantage to 2-0 when she headed in a Boade corner kick for her fourth marker of the season.
Duke added an insurance goal just under four minutes into the second half when freshman forward Grace Watkins netted the first goal of her college career when she knocked in a pass from Cosme to the left post past goalkeeper
Blair Barefoot.
Sophomore goalkeeper Ruthie Jones made one save in the win for the Blue Devils, who outshot UNCW by a 15-1 margin. Barefoot tallied a season-high four saves in 58 minutes after relieving redshirt sophomore
Anna Johnston in the first half.
Game Notes:
- Duke leads the all-time regular season series by a 3-0-0 margin.
- UNCW was shut out at home for just the second time in the last three seasons.
- Junior defender Alysa McLaughlin recorded the Seahawks' lone shot attempt in the first half.
- Redshirt junior defender Grace Pilcher made the first start of her college career and played the entire 90 minutes.
Up Next: UNCW opens Colonial Athletic Association play on Saturday, Mar. 13, with a 6 p.m. contest at Elon.
