Completed Event: Women's Soccer versus #1 Stanford on December 5, 2025 , Loss , 0, to, 1
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Blue Devils Use Motivation to Fuel 2015 Success
11/13/2015 7:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
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By Ryan Neu, Duke Sports InformationDURHAM, N.C. – The 2014 season was disappointing for the Blue Devils. Duke women's soccer had appeared in 11 consecutive NCAA Tournaments before last season's 8-9-1 finish but were left out of the postseason festivities for the first time since 2002 and only the second time in head coach Robbie Church's tenure.
But instead of letting that keep them down, the Blue Devils used that disappointment to motivate themselves this offseason and it paid dividends. Duke will return to the NCAA Tournament Friday at 7 p.m. when the Blue Devils host James Madison at Koskinen Stadium.
“It was definitely a bitter taste in our mouths after last season,” junior captain Christina Gibbons said. “Not even being eligible for the tournament since we were under .500 was a huge disappointment and it definitely left everyone hungry for this year. Everyone wanted to prove themselves and prove that this team is good enough to make the tournament and good enough to make a deep run in the tournament.”
The Blue Devils used that bitter taste to train harder during the offseason and do all the little things that could help improve themselves individually and as a team when they returned to the pitch this fall.
The team worked particularly hard on its culture during the offseason coming together and spending more time together off the field to help build relationships and chemistry on the field. That time together has made this Duke squad especially tightknit and has helped it deal with all the ups and downs of this season.
Duke started the season hot with a 6-2-1 record heading into conference play but stumbled out of the gate against the ACC.
After a 0-2-2 start to conference play, the Blue Devils were able to pick up their first ACC win of the season on the road against Miami. But it was an October 16 matchup against rival North Carolina that shifted the momentum of the season.
The Blue Devils had not recorded a victory against North Carolina since 2005. But Church's team was able to ride a first half goal by sophomore forward Imani Dorsey to a 1-0 win, a win that gave Duke an enormous amount of confidence and momentum.
“That win was huge for us in terms of giving us a sense of belief,” Gibbons said. “We knew we were good, we felt that we were good but a few games had slipped away from us. We feel like we can hang with anyone in the country but actually beating North Carolina — someone we haven't beaten in however many years — it was really awesome to affirm that we really belong in the field.”
The Blue Devils have not played a game since November 1 against N.C. State and used that time to rest up and prepare for their match Friday. Duke practiced all week as the team awaits James Madison's arrival and is excited to get on the pitch and play soccer.
“We're super pumped, and I know everyone is really anxious just to get out there,” Gibbons said. “We belong in the NCAA Tournament and going forward we want to carry that belief that we can truly play with anyone and beat anyone.”
#GoDuke
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