McDonald's Golden Goal Lifts #8 Duke Over UNC Greensboro, 1-0, In Season Opener

Friday, August 26

Durham, N.C.

7 p.m.

Duke University

1-0

UNC-Greensboro

0-1

OT 2

UNC Greensboro

#8/9 Duke

McDonald's Golden Goal Lifts #8 Duke Over UNC Greensboro, 1-0, In Season Opener

8/26/2005 1:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM,N.C. ? Duke's Christie McDonald was golden on Friday in her first collegiate contest as the freshman netted a golden goal with 29 seconds remaining in the first overtime to lift the eighth-ranked Blue Devil women's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over UNC Greensboro at Koskinen Stadium.

“I think we played really well at times,” said Duke Head Coach Robbie Church. “We are still a work in progress and it is early. We created some opportunities, played in spurts; we played hard and got contributions from a lot of people. UNC Greensboro played great, but we found a way to win and that is the key. We won, we move on and we get ready for William & Mary.”

In the season opener for both squads, Duke came out firing early with two shots by McDonald and junior Sarah McCabe in the first two minutes of action but the UNC Greensboro defense played strong limiting the Blue Devils to 10 shots, but only two shots on goal over the first 45 minutes of action.

UNC Greensboro registered the first legit scoring opportunity of the second half at the 54:17 mark as Dacia Beachum sent a shot to the right side of the net but Blue Devil goalkeeper Allison Lipsher made a diving save to keep the score knotted, 0-0.

Duke had four shots over the final 15 minutes of regulation but couldn't put them in the back of the net, while Beachum had another one of her own but Lipsher corralled it for her third save of the evening.

In overtime, the Blue Devils struck first just 31 seconds into the period as senior Carolyn Riggs bolted a right-footed shot from the center of the box, but Spartan goalkeeper Jennifer Stillman was right there to collect her fifth save of the night.

Duke would not be contained on this evening -- As the first overtime stanza dwindled down, junior tri-captain Darby Kroyer sent a ball down the right side to freshman Kelly McCann, who settled it before sending the ball into the goal box. Junior Lauren Tippets deflected the ball to McDonald who cranked a shot past the diving UNC Greensboro goalkeeper, Stillman, into the back left of the net.

“It feels amazing,” said McDonald. “It [the goal in her first collegiate match] is a dream come true.”

McDonald, a native of Newnan, Ga., notched the goal in her first collegiate match after totaling 110 goals and 36 assists during four years of high school soccer at Newnan H.S. A 2004 NSCAA/adidas All-America and 2005 Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year, McDonald finished the night with a team-high five shots.

In goal for the Blue Devils, Lipsher finished with three saves. A sophomore product of Honolulu, Hawaii, Lipsher's shutout is the ninth of her career. Stillman finished with five saves for UNC Greensboro. On the night, Duke outshot the Spartans, 19-7 and held a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks.

“We missed some chances I think we shouldn't have,” McDonald said of Duke not scoring goals early. “ I know I had one I feel like I usually would have finished, but we played really hard and played well together. I think that the more games we play the easier goals will come.”

Duke improves to 1-0 and will next travel to William & Mary on Sunday, Aug. 28 at 7:00 p.m. UNC Greensboro falls to 0-1.

NOTES:

Duke improves to 15-2 in season openers in the 17 years of women's soccer ... junior Kate Seibert was not in uniform after undergoing right ankle surgery on Thursday. Seibert had arthroscopic surgery to remove scar tissue and will be out 2-4 weeks ... two freshman started their first collegiate game -- Christie McDonald and Kelly Hathorn ... after registering 12 shutouts in 2004, the Duke defense opened the season with a shutout.

- d - u - k - e -