Northwestern University Athletics
Saturday, September 19
Durham, N.C.
11:30 a.m.
Northwestern
3-0
19
at
10
Duke
2-1
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Northwestern
0
3
9
7
19
Duke
7
0
0
3
10
Team Stats
NU
DU
Total Yards
271
327
Pass Yards
70
150
Rushing Yards
201
177
Penalty Yards
10
39
1st Downs
15
16
3rd Downs
6
3
4th Downs
1
1
TOP
32:10
27:50
1st Quarter
NU 0, DU 7
DU - Sirk, T 5 yd run (Martin, R kick), 5 plays, 26 yards, TOP 1:38
2nd Quarter
NU 3, DU 7
NU - Mitchell, Jack 37 yd field goal 5 plays, 20 yards, TOP 1:40
3rd Quarter
NU 9, DU 7
NU - Vault, Solomon 98 yd kickoff return (Mitchell, Jack kickblocked)
NU 12, DU 7
NU - Mitchell, Jack 44 yd field goal 10 plays, 53 yards, TOP 4:17
4th Quarter
NU 12, DU 10
DU - Martin, R 38 yd field goal 5 plays, 38 yards, TOP 1:17
NU 19, DU 10
NU - Long, Warren 55 yd run (Mitchell, Jack kick), 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:54
Game Leaders
CMP
9
TD
0
YDS
70
INT
2
Players Mentioned
S
/ Football
RB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
PK
/ Football
P/PK
/ FootballQB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
LB
/ FootballNo. 23 Northwestern Vaults Past Duke in Durham, 19-10
9/19/2015 2:54:00 PM | Football
Wildcats use exceptional special teams play to hold off the Blue Devils
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Postgame Press Conference: Coach Fitzgerald | Student-Athletes
DURHAM, N.C. -- Sophomore Solomon Vault provided the spark No. 23 Northwestern needed with a second half kickoff return for a touchdown and classmate Anthony Walker finished with a career-high 19 tackles in a Wildcats defensive showcase at Duke en route to a 19-10 win at Wallace Wade Stadium Saturday afternoon.
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After a first half in which the Wildcats garnered 57 yards of offense and scored just three points, Vault took the opening kick of the second 98 yards to give the Wildcats a lead it would never relinquish.
The Wildcats' defense gave up just 72 yards of offense in the first quarter, but redshirt freshman Clayton Thorson's first interception of the season set up Duke with friendly field position early in the quarter.
Thomas Sirk scored five plays later on a five-yard scramble to put the Blue Devils in front, 7-0.
Northwestern struggled to get anything going offensively in the first half, mustering just 57 yards of total offense. The defense was able to limit the Blue Devils to the lone touchdown however thanks in large part to two huge second-quarter turnovers.
The Blue Devils drove down to the Wildcats' 10-yard line midway through the second when senior defensive end Dean Lowry tipped a pass and came away with an interception. After a three-and-out and punt by the Wildcats, sophomore Godwin Igwebuike stripped Shaun Wilson to give Chicago's Big Ten Team the ball at the Duke 40-yard line.
Thorson found sophomore Justin Jackson out of the backfield on first down for a gain of 21 yards into the red zone, leading to the Wildcats getting a 37-yard field goal from junior Jack Mitchell to make the halftime deficit just 7-3.
Walker finished that first half with an incredible total of 14 tackles.
Lightning struck immediately out of the locker room when Vault sprinted 98 yards for a #B1GCats touchdown on the opening kick of the second half, his second-career return for a TD after having an 89-yarder against Illinois last year. The extra point was blocked, however, making NU's lead 9-7.
Mitchell added a 44-yard field goal with 9:46 left in the third to extend the lead to 12-7, but Duke answered shortly into fourth to cut the NU edge to three, 12-10.
On the ensuing drive, Northwestern drove to its own 45, then Warren Long burst through on third-and-short for a 55 yard sprint to the endzone, putting the #B1GCats up 19-10.
From there, the defense stood tall time and again with one more special teams contribution. Late in the fourth quarter, Hunter Niswander booted a punt to near midfield, where it was fumbled and pounced on by Long. After the recovery, Northwestern was able to milk the clock in one final drive in which Jackson went over the 100 yard mark on the ground. He finished with 120 yards on 35 carries.
Northwestern returns home to face Ball State in a prime time 7 p.m. kickoff at Ryan Field next Saturday, Sept. 25. Tickets are available!
••••••
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