Kate Seibert Nets Late Goal To Lift No. 7 Duke Past UAB, 1-0, On Friday

Friday, September 16

Durham, N.C.

7:30 p.m.

Duke University

5-0-1

UAB

3-4-0

UAB

#7/7 Duke

Women's Soccer Player Kate Seibert Named Ronald McDonald House Charities Student-Athlete Of The Week

Kate Seibert Nets Late Goal To Lift No. 7 Duke Past UAB, 1-0, On Friday

9/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM,N.C. ? After missing the first five contests due to an injury, Kate Seibert made her presence felt in a big way on Friday evening in the Duke adidas Classic as the senior netted the game-winning goal in the 85th minute to lift the seventh-ranked Blue Devils past UAB, 1-0, at Koskinen Stadium.

“It was a game of two halves as in the first half we played very poorly,” said Duke Head Coach Robbie Church. “In the second half, I thought we played better. We were more attack oriented and worked harder on the field.”

The match started off with UAB's Philo Mbong taking the first shot of the contest at the 3:53 mark, which was saved by Duke's Allison Lipsher, but the Blue Devils went on to outshoot the Blazers, 23-3, in the final 86 minutes.

Duke notched some very good scoring opportunities in the first half led by junior Sarah McCabe's header at the 11:01 mark that went just high and senior Carolyn Riggs' right-footed shot in the 39th minute that went high also.

The Blue Devils went on to outshot the Blazers, 10-4, in the first half.

In the second half, the stellar Duke defense locked in on the UAB offense and didn't allow a shot. The Blue Devils produced 13 shots in the final 45 minutes with an excellent opportunity coming in the 67th minute off a corner kick by senior Shelly Marshall. Marshall's kick went to junior Rebekah Fergusson, who headed a shot towards the goal that was blocked by a Blazer defender, but Seibert settled the ball and rocketed a shot off the crossbar from 18 yards out.

As the match went down under five minutes, the Blue Devils went on an attack after an offsides call on UAB. Duke was awarded a corner kick from the left side of the goal where Seibert sent the ball off her left foot that curved into the goal after deflecting off Blazer goalkeeper Katie Forbis for the game-winning goal at the 85:57 mark.

A native of Downingtown, Pa., Seibert came back from arthroscopic surgery on Aug. 25 to remove scar tissue from her left ankle, after suffering the injury in the final exhibition match versus South Carolina on Aug. 20. She entered the game in the 22nd minute of the first half and was on the attack from the very beginning. Seibert finished with a team-high three shots and collected her 10th career goal in the match.

“I didn't think we had been challenging the goalie that well so I just tried to drag the ball in right at her and it ended up going into the goal,” said Seibert. “It worked out well.”

The Duke defense registered its fourth shutout of the season and 16th over the last two years. In goal for the Blue Devils, Lipsher finished with three saves as the sophomore produced her fourth shutout of the year. As a team, the Blue Devils have allowed only two goals in six matches in 2005.

For the match, Duke outshot UAB, 23-4, and held an 8-2 corner kick advantage.

“I think we need a little more heart by the players -- that when we serve balls into the box -- someone has to make a decision that they want to take the responsibility to get on the end of the ball. We are executing a lot of things up and down the field, but when we drop balls into the final third we have to make a decision to get on the end of some of the balls.”

The Blue Devils will return to action on Sunday with a 12:00 p.m. contest against San Diego, who fell, 3-0, to top-ranked North Carolina in the first match of the Duke adidas Classic on Friday. The Tar Heels will battle UAB at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday to close out the classic.

Notes: Duke has allowed only two goals in six matches ... Allison Lipsher owns a 0.32 goals against average in six contests ... senior Kate Seibert scored in her first match since returning from an ankle injury ... Duke continues to remain undefeated despite only scoring eight goals in six matches.

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