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Duke Nets 10th NCAA Tournament Bid; Will Travel To College Station, Texas
11/10/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Nov. 10, 2003
DURHAM, N.C. - For the 10th time in school history, the Duke women's soccer team received an at-large invitation to play in the NCAA Tournament on Monday and will travel to College Station, Texas, to play Stephen F. Austin on Friday. Duke will play on Friday at 5:00 p.m. (CST).
"We are very excited to receive the invitation to play in the NCAA Tournament," said Duke Head Coach Robbie Church. "Last year at this time we were all sitting together and we were very disappointed not to be picked. To get into the NCAA Tournament and to have the chance to play for a NCAA Championship is very special."
Duke is seeded 12th overall in the bracket, which is the highest the Blue Devils have been seeded since 1997, when they were seeded fifth.
"At this time of year, you just want to keep playing," said Church. "The main thing is you get an invitation to the big dance and you are able to play. It will be exciting to be able to play different teams as we have never faced Stephen F. Austin, Texas A&M or SMU. It is nice to step away from the grind of the ACC opponents we have faced over the last month."
Stephen F. Austin (15-4-2) received an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history, after defeating Southeastern Louisiana, 1-0, in the Southland Conference Championship game on Nov. 9. It will be the first meeting between the Blue Devils and the Ladyjacks.
The winner of the Duke/Stephen F. Austin contest will take on the Texas A&M (12-5-2) and Southern Methodist (17-3-1) winner on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. (CST).
"With almost 300 women's college soccer teams and they are down to 64 left in the nation, they are going to all be very good games," said Church. "Especially when it is a single elimination, all we are guaranteed is playing on Friday night. If we are fortunate to play on Sunday that would be great."
The Blue Devils own a 13-6-1 overall record and finished fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 4-3 mark. Duke advanced to the semifinals of the ACC Championship over the weekend before falling to North Carolina, 6-1.
"I think we are all very excited," said junior Casey McCluskey. "Most of us sat in front of the television last year and didn't see our name pop us last year, so I am just happy to be in it. It would of been nice to get a home bid, but I think they were trying to keep us away from going to North Carolina."
On the season, Duke has been led by senior Thora Helgadottir in goal, who owns a 1.44 goals against average and three shutouts. The trio of Carolyn Riggs (7 goals, 6 assists), Lauren Tippets (6 goals, 3 assists) and Kate Seibert (6 goals, 2 assists) are the leading scorers for the Blue Devils.
The Blue Devils have not advanced past the second round of the NCAA Tournament since 1994, which Duke reached the elite eight. The 2003 Women's College Cup will be played at the SAS Soccer Complex in Cary, N.C. on Dec. 5th and 7th.
"In the past seasons, we have started strong and then dipped down," said McCluskey. "I think this year is the opposite as we are on the up right now. We are very confident going into the tournament."
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