Minestrella Makes History in 3-1 Win at NC State

Sunday, October 26

Raleigh, NC

7 p.m.

Duke University

NC State

Photo by: Peter Raider, Duke Athletics

Minestrella Makes History in 3-1 Win at NC State

10/26/2025 10:29:00 PM | Women's Soccer

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RALEIGH, N.C. – Duke women's soccer junior Mia Minestrella made history Sunday evening in Raleigh as the seventh-ranked Blue Devils registered a 3-1 ACC win against NC State at Dail Soccer Field/Track Complex.

With her tally at the 51:50 mark, Minestrella collected her 10th goal of the year and fourth game-winner of the season. Minestrella, who hails from Redondo Beach, California, became just the fourth Blue Devil to register 10 or more goals in back-to-back seasons joining Kelly Walbert (1994 & 1995), Kayla McCoy (2017 & 2018) and Michelle Cooper (2001 & 2022).

The Blue Devils improved to 11-3-1 overall and 6-3-0 in the ACC, while moving into third place in the ACC standings with 18 points. NC State dropped to 5-8-4, 4-3-2. Duke has won five matches in a row.

How It Happened

Duke had a great chance early at the 10:46 mark as redshirt junior Elle Piper served a ball in the box where junior Mia Minestrella was there, but NC State keeper Olivia Pratapas make a diving stop to her left.
Then at the 12:41 ledger Blue Devil senior Devin Lynch was taken down as she was driving into the box and NC State's Alex Mohr was awarded a red card.Lynch fired a shot off a free kick that Pratapas made another diving stop on, this time to her right.
The Blue Devils kept peppering the goal as freshman Avery Oder drove into the box and had a great look off a pass from Lynch, but Pratapas was there for another save.
Duke attempted the first nine shots of the half, before NC State's Jade Bordeleau had an attempt in the 36th minute that was saved by Blue Devil keeper Caroline Dysart.
At the 41:17 mark, the Blue Devils broke through to take a 1-0 lead.Cameron Roller served a ball into the box where a NC State defender tried to clear.Redshirt freshman Lauren Martinho headed a ball back to redshirt junior Kat Rader, who flicked it to senior Farrah Walters.A product of Scottsdale, Arizona, Walters found the back of the net for Duke.
Duke held a 10-3 shot advantage in the first half with seven of those attempts coming on goal.
The Blue Devils opened the second half with an excellent opportunity, but senior Julia Saunicheva's attempt inside the box was saved by Pratapas.
NC State evened the score, 1-1, at the 51:42 mark as Bordeleau finished a header from Mana Nakata.
Minestrella wasted no time giving Duke a 2-1 lead as she took a deflection, drove towards the top of the box and blasted a 24-yard attempt that hit the crossbar and went into the net.The response was only eight seconds after the Wolfpack scored.
Duke added a third goal, 3-1, in the 60th minute as Martinho found Saunicheva on the right side and served a perfect cross over the keeper's head where Lynch used her body to score her fourth goal of the season.
For the match, the Blue Devils held a 25-7 shot advantage with Minestrella tying a career high with seven attempts.NC State's Pratapas finished the evening with 16 saves.

Notes

The Blue Devils played the final 77:19 of the match with a man advantage.
Duke's last 19 goals have all come after the 41-minute mark.The last goal the Blue Devils have scored prior to that was at Virginia on Sept. 11.
Farrah Walters totaled her third goal of the season and 22nd of her collegiate career. It was her second against an ACC opponent (Virginia last year).
Kat Rader has scored or assisted in 12 out of the last 14 matches.
Mia Minestrella totaled her 10th career goal against an ACC opponent and 10th goal of the 2025 campaign. She now owns 22 career goals over the last two seasons. Minestrella has scored in all six road contests this year.
Devin Lynch posted her 11th career goal and has scored in three out of the last five contests.
Lauren Martinho totaled a career-high two assists in only 39 minutes.
Duke has scored two or more goals in seven matches in a row.
Carolina Dysart played the entire 90 minutes and had one save in goal.

Quotes

"Every game in the ACC has massive implications.As you get towards the end of the season, the games are more and more important, the points are more and more important.We knew that was going to be a tough game.For us to come down here and get the win the way we did I am pretty pleased with that."-- Duke head coach Kieran Hall

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