Completed Event: Women's Soccer versus #1 Stanford on December 5, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 1
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Final
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Blue Devil Offense Clicking Heading into Elite Eight
11/25/2015 10:45:00 AM | Women's Soccer
By Ryan Neu, Duke Sports Information
DURHAM, N.C. – Heading into the NCAA Tournament, defense was the story of the Duke women's soccer team. But as they prepare for their quarterfinal matchup against No. 1 seeded Stanford, the Blue Devils have plenty going for them offensively as well.
Duke has scored 14 goals in its last four games including nine in the tournament so far and two crucial goals in a 2-1 win against No. 2 Florida Sunday. With both the offense and defense clicking at the same time, the Blue Devils are one of the most dangerous teams remaining in the tournament.
“This thing just doesn't appear,” head coach Robbie Church said. “It started about a month ago in training when we started scoring more goals in training and every time you score more goals, you start to feel confidence. But in the technical part, early in the year we were really blasting shots and trying to knock the cover off the ball but now we're doing a much better job of being composed around the goal and finding the corners of goals, not just hitting the ball so hard.”
Church's squad started out the season scoring effectively, with 21 goals in nine non-conference contests. The start of ACC play, however, proved to be a challenge for Duke offensively. Through their first six conference games, the Blue Devils managed just four goals and a 1-2-3 record. The defense held firm — Duke allowed just six goals during that same stretch — but the offense could not get going.
But the Blue Devils kept after it.
Duke entered its October 16 contest against rival North Carolina having not scored a goal against the Tar Heels in five years and not won in 10. But the Blue Devils were able to net a goal and a 1-0 victory in Chapel Hill, ending both streaks simultaneously and sending waves of confidence throughout the team.
“Beating North Carolina showed us that we were a really good team,” senior Kara Wilson said. “After that win we were obviously very excited but one thing we did emphasize was that we didn't want that to be what our season was remembered for, and we had far greater goals than winning just that one game even if it was a great win to have. But it has given us that confidence that we can play with the very best teams and that we are one of the best teams, too.”
The Duke underclassmen have had a significant impact on the success of the Blue Devil offense this season.
Two freshmen, midfielder Taylor Racioppi and forward Kayla McCoy, currently lead Duke with seven goals apiece and two sophomores, forward Imani Dorsey and midfielder Ashton Miller sit in second with five goals each. The four also lead the Blue Devils in points with 16 total assists to go along with their goals.
“They have done an awesome job and had an impact on all of our games in the scoring column and the assist column,” junior Christina Gibbons said. “They've really stepped up in a big way during the tournament, having the composure to finish their chances and put their shots on frame. I'm really proud of how they handled that pressure.”
The team mentality permeates throughout this squad and although the younger players are accumulating the statistics, every player on the pitch — starting and off the bench — contributes to the attack.
“Rebecca Quinn, she's a center back but she's very important to our offense because she has range on her services from the back and she can open up teams with longer balls,” Church said. “Toni Payne hasn't scored a lot of goals but she is so dangerous when she picks the ball up and runs at players that she gets people to play on their back heel. Everyone attacks and everyone contributes to the offense even if they don't have the numbers.”
Now the Blue Devils take their talents to California to face off against top-seeded Stanford in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. If Duke is able to come away with a win, it will return to North Carolina for the College Cup, which will take place in Cary, N.C. this season.
Church and the Blue Devils are not taking the Cardinal lightly. Stanford was ranked fifth in RPI and third in the most recent coaches' poll in addition to possessing the seventh-best goals against average in the nation, but the Blue Devils are excited for the challenge.
“We're 90 minutes away from playing in the College Cup,” Church said. “We've been a very good big game team this year, and we know we can play with any team in the country. Stanford is a great team — year in, year out they are one of the top teams in the county — but we want to go to the Final Four. We're very hungry.”
#GoDuke
DURHAM, N.C. – Heading into the NCAA Tournament, defense was the story of the Duke women's soccer team. But as they prepare for their quarterfinal matchup against No. 1 seeded Stanford, the Blue Devils have plenty going for them offensively as well.
Duke has scored 14 goals in its last four games including nine in the tournament so far and two crucial goals in a 2-1 win against No. 2 Florida Sunday. With both the offense and defense clicking at the same time, the Blue Devils are one of the most dangerous teams remaining in the tournament.
“This thing just doesn't appear,” head coach Robbie Church said. “It started about a month ago in training when we started scoring more goals in training and every time you score more goals, you start to feel confidence. But in the technical part, early in the year we were really blasting shots and trying to knock the cover off the ball but now we're doing a much better job of being composed around the goal and finding the corners of goals, not just hitting the ball so hard.”
Church's squad started out the season scoring effectively, with 21 goals in nine non-conference contests. The start of ACC play, however, proved to be a challenge for Duke offensively. Through their first six conference games, the Blue Devils managed just four goals and a 1-2-3 record. The defense held firm — Duke allowed just six goals during that same stretch — but the offense could not get going.
But the Blue Devils kept after it.
Duke entered its October 16 contest against rival North Carolina having not scored a goal against the Tar Heels in five years and not won in 10. But the Blue Devils were able to net a goal and a 1-0 victory in Chapel Hill, ending both streaks simultaneously and sending waves of confidence throughout the team.
“Beating North Carolina showed us that we were a really good team,” senior Kara Wilson said. “After that win we were obviously very excited but one thing we did emphasize was that we didn't want that to be what our season was remembered for, and we had far greater goals than winning just that one game even if it was a great win to have. But it has given us that confidence that we can play with the very best teams and that we are one of the best teams, too.”
The Duke underclassmen have had a significant impact on the success of the Blue Devil offense this season.
Two freshmen, midfielder Taylor Racioppi and forward Kayla McCoy, currently lead Duke with seven goals apiece and two sophomores, forward Imani Dorsey and midfielder Ashton Miller sit in second with five goals each. The four also lead the Blue Devils in points with 16 total assists to go along with their goals.
“They have done an awesome job and had an impact on all of our games in the scoring column and the assist column,” junior Christina Gibbons said. “They've really stepped up in a big way during the tournament, having the composure to finish their chances and put their shots on frame. I'm really proud of how they handled that pressure.”
The team mentality permeates throughout this squad and although the younger players are accumulating the statistics, every player on the pitch — starting and off the bench — contributes to the attack.
“Rebecca Quinn, she's a center back but she's very important to our offense because she has range on her services from the back and she can open up teams with longer balls,” Church said. “Toni Payne hasn't scored a lot of goals but she is so dangerous when she picks the ball up and runs at players that she gets people to play on their back heel. Everyone attacks and everyone contributes to the offense even if they don't have the numbers.”
Now the Blue Devils take their talents to California to face off against top-seeded Stanford in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. If Duke is able to come away with a win, it will return to North Carolina for the College Cup, which will take place in Cary, N.C. this season.
Church and the Blue Devils are not taking the Cardinal lightly. Stanford was ranked fifth in RPI and third in the most recent coaches' poll in addition to possessing the seventh-best goals against average in the nation, but the Blue Devils are excited for the challenge.
“We're 90 minutes away from playing in the College Cup,” Church said. “We've been a very good big game team this year, and we know we can play with any team in the country. Stanford is a great team — year in, year out they are one of the top teams in the county — but we want to go to the Final Four. We're very hungry.”
#GoDuke
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