SPORTS | SOCCER
Duke plays for first-ever national championship
By Tim Visutipol | December 4, 2011Ninety minutes and an undefeated opponent are all that separate Duke from its first national title.
Ninety minutes and an undefeated opponent are all that separate Duke from its first national title.
For forty minutes, Wake Forest dominated the NCAA Tournament semifinal against Duke.
For the third time in as many games with the season on the line, the Blue Devils played poorly in the opening 45 minutes. But for the third time, Duke got away with it.
Less than a month ago, Duke fell to Wake Forest 2-1 in the ACC tournament semifinals.
Duke displayed its strength in numbers, as sophomores Kim DeCesare and Gilda Doria netted a goal apiece to put the Blue Devils in their first NCAA Tournament semifinal since 1992.
With the win, the Blue Devils advance to the national semifinals in Kennesaw, Ga., to take on ACC rival Wake Forest Friday.
In order to advance to its second Final Four in program history, Duke will have to end Long Beach State’s Cinderella run.
The Blue Devils passed two formidable tests this weekend as Duke continues on the road to the Women’s College Cup final in Georgia.
Despite conceding a rare early goal Sunday in the third round of the NCAA tournament, the Blue Devils refused to let an NCAA quarterfinal appearance slip from their grasp.