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Raben Family Enjoying NCAA Tournament Run
12/1/2015 1:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
By Ryan Neu, Duke Sports Information
DURHAM, N.C. – Duke women's soccer player Lizzy Raben is not the only member of her family that is part of a deep run in the NCAA Tournament this year.
While the junior defender prepares to take on Florida State in the national semifinals Friday, her brother, Wake Forest freshman defender Sam Raben, is getting ready to take on Stanford in a men's bracket quarterfinal matchup.
The Raben siblings are the only brother/sister tandem to still remain in the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
“We've always been super competitive — just my whole family in general is super competitive — but it's been so cool seeing how successful he's been,” Lizzy Raben said. “I always felt he was really overlooked in high school and he's always been an amazing player and he's finally getting the recognition that he deserves. It's really cool to be able to share the experience of playing in the ACC with somebody that really knows what you're going through. It's been really cool and has brought us a lot closer for sure.”
After a year away from the postseason, Lizzy and the Blue Devils have reached the NCAA College Cup for the third time in program history and the first time since 2011. On its way to the national semifinals in Cary, N.C., Duke has taken down James Madison, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida and Stanford. Lizzy has played in all four of the Blue Devils games this tournament and played all 110 minutes of Duke's victory against No. 1 seed Stanford Friday.
And as the Blue Devils get set for their matchup this weekend, Sam Raben and the Wake Forest men's squad are preparing for their own contest after winning their first two games of the tournament. The Demon Deacons are just one game away from the Men's College Cup in Kansas City, Mo.
With her brother playing so close to her, Lizzy has been able to make the short trip to Winston Salem, N.C. and watch her brother play.
“I've gone over there a couple times,” Lizzy said. “I actually drove over there Sunday to see him beat Indiana in the Sweet Sixteen, and I got to be there for his win over North Carolina, which was the day after we beat North Carolina so that was a pretty amazing weekend.”
“Being so far from home, it's really nice to still be so close to family,” Sam said. “It makes it easy for me to make a quick drive down to Duke to watch Lizzy play, and it always helps when I see her in the crowd at my games. Lizzy is one of the best role models you could ask for and over the years she has been able to pass down her knowledge whether it's from a soccer standpoint or just life lessons in general.”
As far as her own team is concerned, Lizzy said that the Blue Devils have never wavered in confidence and have thrived on the opportunity to show the country just how good this Duke team is.
“We're just so excited to be there and we're so excited to play especially in our home state,” Lizzy said. “It's an amazing opportunity and this team is so special and absolutely has the ability to win this game and we're so excited to show the country on a bigger scale that we've been this good all along.”
It's not often that a brother and sister have the opportunity to compete for national titles in the same season, let alone get this close to accomplishing that feat. And with both siblings on the verge of achieving a goal they have dreamed of for years, they both continue to have tremendous support for each other.
“It would be unbelievable if we were both able to take home the college cup this year,” Sam said. “I know her team is fully capable, and I believe my team is as well so I guess we'll just have to wait and see if the Rabens can make some history.”
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