Going Back To Cali

DURHAM, N.C. ? As a senior in high school, goalkeeper Cassidy Powers drove six hours south with her parents from their home in San Ramon, Calif. to watch the Duke Blue Devils take on UCLA in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament back in 2004.

Four Years later Powers is a senior for the Blue Devils and is traveling with the rest of her teammates to Los Angeles to take on the Bruins once again in the NCAA Tournament, this time in the Elite Eight.

“It is pretty exciting,” Powers said. “I always love going back to California.”

The Blue Devils (15-5-3, 4-3-3) are coming off back to back shutouts, one against Williams & Mary and the other against Virginia in the Sweet 16. They enter into Saturday's 10:00 p.m. (EDT) matchup with UCLA (21-0-2, 9-0-0) having lost their last meeting in 2004 with the Bruins 2-0. Duke won their opening round match this year against Radford 5-1.

Powers has played a crucial role in net for the Blue Devils this season recording nine shutouts, making 70 saves to go along with her 0.80 goals against average.

Her nine shutouts tie the school record for shutouts in a season while Duke's 13 shutouts as a team are a new school record.

“I think we are all really proud of what Cassidy has done this year,” senior forward Kelly Hathorn said. “She has had an amazing season. She has really stepped up for us as a leader on the team. I think going home to California is a really exciting thing for her because her family is going to come down.”

“I never doubt she is going to make the wrong decision,” senior defender Kelly McCann said. “I always know she is going to be back there working hard. She is definitely a strength we have back there and being a defender you always feel confident when you goalkeeper is doing well.”

Powers is quick to point out that her teammates support on and off the field is a big reason why the senior goalkeeper has come into her own this season defending the net for the Blue Devils.

“They play a huge role,” Powers said. “The entire team has a huge role in every game and the shutouts that we have got. I give them a lot of credit for all of the shutouts we got all season. It has been great having them in front of me and I feel very comfortable with them.”

Reflecting on the year in which she played in all 23 games in net, Powers feels that her most memorable game in goal came back on Oct. 30 against Virginia in Blacksburg. Power made a10 saves in a double overtime 0-0 tie with the Cavaliers.

Powers built off the momentum from that performance as the Blue Devils entered the NCAA Tournament recording two shutouts in Duke's three tournament matches.

As a team the Blue Devils are getting hot at the right time of the year winning their last three matches after going 0-2-1 in the previous three games in which they were held scoreless in each. Duke has scored eight goals in their three tournament games.

“I definitely think we are a lot more confident,” McCann said. “We know when we step on the field that we can play with anyone versus last year when we couldn't believe we were here. This year we expected it from ourselves.”

Last year Duke reached the Elite eight falling to Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. 3-2.

While they braved the cold last year, this year's match poses new challenges against an undefeated UCLA squad.

“I think it presents a team that we have never played before, and has never played that many teams that we've actually played,” McCann said. “We just haven't crossed paths with them. It is always different when you aren't quite sure what to expect from the team.”

“I think it is fun to go into a school where you know their fans don't want you to win,” Hathorn said. “Last weekend at Virginia the fans hated us. I mean nobody was cheering for us besides our little parents section. It just made it that much more fun to knock them out of the tournament on their own field.”

Whatever happens Saturday night the current group of six seniors will be remembered for being part of back to back elite eight teams.

“Going into every game knowing that this could be the last time that I am playing with the other five [seniors], and the rest of the team kind of gives you extra motivation to go in and play harder and play for everyone else,” Hathorn said.

“I think this is the best team Duke has ever seen,” Powers said. “Two elite eight games in back to back seasons is really exciting to be a part of it.”

Players Mentioned

Kelly McCann

Cassidy Powers

Lauren Simel

Duke information