Duke Falls to Wake in ACC Tournament, 2-1

Sunday, October 31

8 P.M.

Duke University

13-3-1, 7-2-1

Wake Forest

15-4-0, 6-4-0

Wake Forest

Duke

Duke Falls to Wake in ACC Tournament, 2-1

10/31/2021 11:45:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score BOX SCORE (PDF)

DURHAM – Sophomore Olivia Migli scored the game-tying goal in the 84th minute to bring third-seeded Duke level with No. 6-seed Wake Forest, but the Demon Deacons answered just 13 seconds later as the Blue Devils fell, 2-1, in the first round of the ACC Tournament on Sunday at Koskinen Stadium.

On the ensuing kickoff following Migli's equalizer, Wake's Jenna Menta worked her way towards the end line and sent in a hard cross that deflected off sophomore Emily Royson's left foot and into the net, giving the Demon Deacons the lead via an unfortunate own goal. Duke (13-3-1) fought desperately to knot the match once again in the closing minutes, but freshman Michelle Cooper's shot in the 85th minute was stopped by goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks and a final corner kick opportunity was cleared out.

With the loss, the Blue Devils are eliminated from the ACC Tournament and now await the release of the NCAA Tournament bracket on Monday, Nov. 8. Wake Forest (15-4-0) moves on to the semifinal round, where it will face No. 2-seed Florida State on Friday, Nov. 5 in Cary, N.C.

Just 16 days after Duke earned a 2-0 shutout at Wake Forest, the Demon Deacons came out as the aggressors on Sunday. They fired eight shots in the first half, including three on goal in the opening 16 minutes. Junior Ruthie Jones came through with multiple key stops, highlighted by a point-blank chance for Wake's Meena Malaika from six yards out that Jones was able to get her left hand on.

The Demon Deacons' early efforts were rewarded in the 29th minute as Menta opened the scoring off a pass across the box from Nikaya Small. Small made a run behind the right side of the Duke defense and sent a beautiful feed to a streaking Menta, who one-timed it past Jones to put Wake in front.

Cooper recorded two shots on goal in the first half with Parks equal to the task on both as the Blue Devils went into the break trailing 1-0. The opening half also featured physical play throughout, as 13 total fouls were called and four yellow cards were handed out – three to Wake Forest and one to Duke.

After weathering an early storm of Duke shot attempts in the second half, Wake went back on the attack and found numerous opportunities to double its lead. Jones kept the Blue Devils in the match with four saves in a 25-minute span, including a stop on Hulda Arnarsdottir at the 72:54 mark when the Deacs' forward found herself in behind the Duke back line.

Duke's game-tying tally in the 84th minute came on a play started by Cooper up the left side. The freshman turned past the defender marking her at midfield and sprinted towards the box, before threading a hard pass to the back post that was drilled home by Migli for her first goal of the season.

The elation of the goal was short-lived, however, as the Demon Deacons found their winner just moments later.

Jones finished with a season-high seven saves for Duke, while Parks recorded four stops on the other side.

With their attention now turned to the NCAA Tournament, the Blue Devils look to earn their 27th all-time bid. After each team, region and campus host site is revealed on Nov. 8, the opening round of the tournament will begin Friday, Nov. 12.

NOTES

The 2021 season marks the 21st at Duke for head coach Robbie Church, where he is now 269-134-60.
Duke moves to 15-31-3 all-time in the ACC Tournament.
Sophomore Olivia Migli's game-tying goal in the 84th minute was her first tally since March 17, 2021 versus Coastal Carolina, snapping an 18-match goalless drought.
Michelle Cooper picked up her fourth assist of the season on Migli's goal and now owns 24 points in her freshman campaign.
Cooper tied her season highs with seven shot attempts and three shots on goal.
Junior Ruthie Jones' seven saves were a season high and her most stops since May 9, 2021, when she recorded eight against Florida State in the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals.