No. 8 Duke Blanks N.C. State, 1-0, On Sunday At SAS

Sunday, October 2

Raleigh, N.C.

1 p.m.

Duke University

8-2-1, 2-2-0

N.C. State

5-6-0, 1-2-0

#8/6 Duke

NC State

No. 8 Duke Blanks N.C. State, 1-0, On Sunday At SAS

10/2/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Duke Sports Information

CARY, N.C.? After losing the past two Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) matches by a 1-0 ledger, the eighth-ranked Duke women's soccer team rebounded with a 1-0 victory over N.C. State on Sunday afternoon at the SAS Soccer Complex in Cary, N.C. The Blue Devils improve to 8-2-1, 2-2 in ACC action, while the Wolfpack fell to 5-6-0, 1-2 ACC.

“The first goal in every match is so important,” said Duke Head Coach Robbie Church. “It was great to see us go out and get that first goal. It was a tribute to their mental toughness. We have been on one heck of a trip. It was a war at Boston College [on Friday]. It was a physical and mental war ... it was a disappointing loss. I am very, very proud of our girls.”

The Blue Devils got on the board in the first four minutes of Sunday's contest as junior tri-captain Darby Kroyer sent a perfect pass to senior Kate Seibert, who was able to get free on the left side of the goal box. A product of Downingtown, Pa., Seibert found herself with only N.C. State's goalkeeper, Kim Selz, to be and blasted a 10-yard, left-footed shot that hit the right corner of the goal. The score for Seibert was her second of the season and 11th of her career.

“It wasn't that exciting at first as I looked to my right and it looked like two other girls were laying on the ground,” said Seibert. “Darby played an awesome ball in so it was a pretty simple finish. I just tied to stay calm because I have been having a little trouble getting my finishing back. So it was nice to get an easy one.”

With just under eight minutes remaining in the first half, N.C. State's Kasie Shover registered a header in front of the goal but went just high, for the Wolfpack's best scoring opportunity. Duke had six other very good scoring chances in the first stanza and ended with an 8-2 shot advantage as seven different Blue Devils notched shots.

On getting a quick goal after being shutout the last two matches, “It was a huge relief,” said Seibert. “I think it was a huge relief for everyone including our backs because there wasn't so much pressure on them, which was nice.”

The Wolfpack came out of the gates in the second half and collected their third shot of the match in the first minute as Shover sent a ball in the box that Duke goalkeeper Allison Lipsher corralled for her first save of the match. The Blue Devils went on to take seven shots through the next 30 minutes but couldn't get any to fall.

N.C. State's Ashleah Dingle came off the bench and posted the two excellent scoring opportunities with under 15 minutes left in the match but one sailed high and Lipsher saved the other. In between the posts for the Blue Devils, Lipsher finished with two saves, while Selz had five for the Wolfpack. The shutout for Lipsher marks the sixth of the season and for Duke's defense it was the seventh of the year.

“We played a lot of people today and played more people for longer times,” said Church. “We knew we had to today because our players were physically and mentally tired.”

For the match, Duke outshot N.C. State, 16-6, and held a 7-2 corner kick lead.

Since returning from early season surgery on her ankle, Seibert has now posted two game-winning goals for the Blue Devils. The win for Duke marks the fourth 1-0 victory of the season.

“We have been working all season on really working hard on getting that first early goal,” said Kroyer. “So today we did that and were successful.”

Duke will have the next week off before playing at top-ranked North Carolina on Sunday, Oct. 9 at 2:00 p.m.

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