Seniors Lead Duke To 3-1 Win Over Miami On Senior Night

Friday, October 28

Durham, N.C.

7 p.m.

Duke University

12-4-1, 6-4-0

Miami

8-10-1, 2-7-0

Miami

#10/13 Duke

Seniors Lead Duke To 3-1 Win Over Miami On Senior Night

10/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. ? The eight Duke Women's Soccer seniors went out in style on Friday night at Koskinen Stadium as the 10th-ranked Blue Devils downed Miami, 3-1, to close out the regular season with a 12-4-1 overall and 6-4 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) record.

“We took 28 shots, but we didn't finish some things and still kept them around,” said Duke Head Coach Robbie Church. “A 2-0 score is dangerous, we felt like we controlled and had possession of the game, but we didn't deliver the knockout punch. We wanted to come out at halftime and build on the lead, but we didn't do it. We missed a couple of opportunities early to give us a third [goal].”

After a chilling pregame ceremony to honor the eight seniors-- Carmen Bognanno, Carolyn Ford, Heidi Hollenbeck, Shelly Marshall, Alexis Morant, Carly O'Connor, Carolyn Riggs and Kate Seibert -- the Blue Devils set the tone for the match by attacking from the start.

“We never really wanted this game to ever come, but obviously it had to come-- we put everything into this,” said Marshall. “We put our heart, soul and every ounce of energy as we have seen seniors walk off this field with tears. We knew that we didn't want to have any regrets coming off this field since it could be the last time we played at Koskinen.”

Junior Darby Kroyer took the first Blue Devil shot in the third minute of the game and then Riggs, Seibert and Marshall took seven more shots before Riggs gave Duke a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute. The play was started by Seibert who sent a ball over to the left side to Marshall. Making only her third start of the season, Marshall played a perfect cross across the goal where Riggs settled, took a couple of steps and nailed her second goal of the season.

A product of Indianapolis, Ind., Riggs was also making her third start of the year on senior night. The goal for Riggs was the 28th of her career, which now ranks tied for fourth all-time at Duke, and her 71 points now ranks fifth on the Duke career charts.

“Obviously, the last 48 hours we have been focusing on the senior class and it has been a great time reminiscing about how many memories we have together with this team and how close we are,” said Riggs. “The three goals tonight we had were all great goals. More than anything the seniors all contributed and I think more than anything we wanted to win it for the senior class and for the team. It means so much how hard everyone has worked for us and how much heart everybody has showed not only for our class and for the program.”

The Blue Devils wouldn't wait long to increase the lead as Rebecca Moros sent a pass down the right side to Lauren Tippets. Tippets, a native of Menlo Park, Calif., sent a beautiful cross in front of the goal to junior Sarah McCabe, who used her right foot to beat Miami goalkeeper Lauren McAdam for her fourth goal of the season at the 31:03 mark.

At the end of the first 45 minutes of play, Duke held a 16-1 shot advantage. Miami didn't notch its first shot until the final minute of the first stanza. Making the first start of her career, Duke's Morant made one save in the first half.

Duke came out in the second half and was not as focused as it was to start the contest. Miami came out attacking as Kelly Pflugner took a shot in the first two minutes, but Morant was there for the save. The Hurricanes added a goal of their own at the 58:30 mark as Bryn Heinicke started a corner kick that ended up with Kristen Chjapman hitting the crossbar on a shot. Off the rebound, Pfugner was able to grab the ball and beat the Duke defense for her second goal of the season.

With a one-goal advantage, Duke's top goalkeeper Allison Lipsher entered the match with 22 minutes remaining and along with the Blue Devil defense was able to hold the Hurricanes scoreless.

In the 75th minute, junior Rachel-Rose Cohen sent a throw-in to Seibert who beat two Miami defenders and sent a shot from right to left that found the corner of the net. The goal for Seibert, a product of Downingtown, Pa., was her third of the season and gave Duke a 3-1 lead.

“Looking into the senior's eyes before this game,” said Marshall. “I really knew that I had their back and they had mine. We wanted to go out and do this together. We knew we were a strong class and knew this was such a big game for us, not to just win it, but to be playing together for the last time. That really meant something to all of us.”

For the game, Duke outshot Miami 28-5. Morant picked up her first career victory in goal for the Blue Devils, while McAdam fell to 5-8-1 and had seven saves. The Hurricanes fall to 8-10-1, 2-7-0 in the ACC.

The seven seniors were head coach Robbie Church's first recruiting class at Duke and have led the Blue Devils to a 50-28-4 record over the last four years.

“It is a big win,” said Church. “It gives us a win going into the ACC Tournament in the right mindset.”

Duke will next play in the ACC Championship at the SAS Soccer Complex in Cary, N.C. on Nov. 2, 4, 6. The quarterfinals will begin on Wednesday, Nov. 2 with matches at 12:00 pm, 2:30 pm, 5:30 pm and 8:00 pm.

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