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20 Years with Robbie Church: Duke Beats NC State, Clinches ACC Regular Season Title
2/1/2021 1:27:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Head coach Robbie Church is in his 20th season with the Blue Devils. GoDuke.com will be looking back over the last 20 years highlighting top moments for Duke women's soccer under the direction of Church.
RALEIGH, N.C. – The Duke women's soccer team captured its second ACC regular season title in program history with a 1-0 victory over NC State on Oct. 27, 2011 at Dail Soccer Field.
The Blue Devils closed the regular season with a 16-2-1 overall record and 8-1-1 league mark, totaling an ACC-best 25 points. Duke earned the No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament and a quarterfinal matchup with Virginia Tech on Oct. 30 at Koskinen Stadium.
With conference championships in 1994 and 2011, Duke became the second ACC team to win multiple regular season titles other than UNC.
"I am overwhelmed," said Duke Head Coach Robbie Church, who secured his first league title with the Blue Devils. "To win a title in a league like this in a year like this where you have 10 teams in the top 37 of the RPI that just came out on Wednesday is unbelievable. I am just so proud of the girls. They have worked so hard all year and fought through things. It is a just reward for them and it is a just reward for a lot of people that has been in our program in years past to that set the tone and helped us build it. To get our first league title since 1994 is fantastic."
In the first half, both teams didn't find many excellent scoring chances but Blue Devil redshirt-sophomore Kim DeCesare provided the play of the season, saving a ball off the Duke goal line to preserve the 0-0 draw in the first half.
"Honestly, I didn't know," said DeCesare on if she thought she would get to the ball. "All I was thinking was run – run as fast as you can and don't let the ball go into the net. I was successful, thank goodness. It was close. I would say the ball was touching the line – it wasn't in the goal."
On the play, Duke goalkeeper Tara Campbell charged NC State's Stephanie Bronson and as Campbell slid to stop a charging Bronson, the ball bounced off Bronson and was rolling towards the goal. DeCesare, a 5-10 midfielder, sprinted towards the line and slid to knock the ball away as it was getting ready to cross into the net.
"I thought she was," commented Church on if he thought DeCesare could get to the ball before crossing the line. "Kim is our Ms. hustle. If there was 'Charlie Hustle' of the soccer field, it is Kim DeCesare. We bring her off the bench – she could be a starter for almost anybody in the country. We feel like she is a starter. She plays starter minutes. But she brings so much energy, so much work rate into the game. She is not giving up on anything. When I looked back and saw somebody chasing it, I was glad it was Kimmy. If there was any way to get to the ball, she would make it happen."
The Blue Devils outshot the Wolfpack, 5-3, in the second half and was called offside four times.
"We were fortunate and I think that was a big part of the game, that it was nothing to nothing at halftime," said Church. "The second half, we took the level up some. We moved the ball better in the second half, our shape was much better and I thought we just had a great attacking mentality."
Towards the end of the first half and into the second stanza, the Blue Devils started to pick up the run of play and began to challenge the Wolfpack. Duke attempted the first five shots of the second half as the Blue Devils were all over the box. Sophomore Mollie Pathman hit the crossbar for the second straight match in the 53rd minute.
Then, in the 64th minute, Pathman drew a couple of defenders to her on the left side as she ran down the edge of the box. A native of Durham, N.C., Pathman used her left foot to cross a ball that went straight to the head of a leaping Kaitlyn Kerr. Kerr headed the rock into the right corner of the net past Wolfpack goalkeeper Kim Kern.
"Kaitlyn made a great run," said Pathman. "There was a lot of people in the box and she called for it. I was able to get my head up and just find her. She had a great finish – kept it down. Sometimes people head it over but Kaitlyn did a great job."
Kerr's tally was her fourth game-winner of the year. Three of those game-winners came against ACC opponents and were 1-0 contests.
"I am kind of speechless right now," said Pathman on winning the title. "I don't think it has completely sunk in. This is why we came to Duke and what we are fighting for. We definitely want a national championship, but this is one step closer to that goal and I think it is a great accomplishment."
NC State tried to make a late rally and brought Kern up on a final corner kick as the time was winding down, but the Blue Devil defense stood strong for their 13th shutout of the season. The 13 shutouts matched a Duke school record, which also occurred in 2008 and 1992. In goal for the Blue Devils, Campbell netted one save for her 12th shutout of the season and the 26th of her career.
"It is a great accomplishment," said Kerr on winning the ACC title. "Our team has been working. It is not just this year – it has been a process. Robbie has been here for so many years – all of our coaches are absolutely amazing. I say we have the best coaching staff in the country and they prepare us every day. We prepare ourselves. Winning this has just been a huge process – worked day in and day out. We really wanted it. We just have to keep going. We are proud but not satisfied."
#GoDuke
RALEIGH, N.C. – The Duke women's soccer team captured its second ACC regular season title in program history with a 1-0 victory over NC State on Oct. 27, 2011 at Dail Soccer Field.
The Blue Devils closed the regular season with a 16-2-1 overall record and 8-1-1 league mark, totaling an ACC-best 25 points. Duke earned the No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament and a quarterfinal matchup with Virginia Tech on Oct. 30 at Koskinen Stadium.
With conference championships in 1994 and 2011, Duke became the second ACC team to win multiple regular season titles other than UNC.
"I am overwhelmed," said Duke Head Coach Robbie Church, who secured his first league title with the Blue Devils. "To win a title in a league like this in a year like this where you have 10 teams in the top 37 of the RPI that just came out on Wednesday is unbelievable. I am just so proud of the girls. They have worked so hard all year and fought through things. It is a just reward for them and it is a just reward for a lot of people that has been in our program in years past to that set the tone and helped us build it. To get our first league title since 1994 is fantastic."
In the first half, both teams didn't find many excellent scoring chances but Blue Devil redshirt-sophomore Kim DeCesare provided the play of the season, saving a ball off the Duke goal line to preserve the 0-0 draw in the first half.
"Honestly, I didn't know," said DeCesare on if she thought she would get to the ball. "All I was thinking was run – run as fast as you can and don't let the ball go into the net. I was successful, thank goodness. It was close. I would say the ball was touching the line – it wasn't in the goal."
On the play, Duke goalkeeper Tara Campbell charged NC State's Stephanie Bronson and as Campbell slid to stop a charging Bronson, the ball bounced off Bronson and was rolling towards the goal. DeCesare, a 5-10 midfielder, sprinted towards the line and slid to knock the ball away as it was getting ready to cross into the net.
"I thought she was," commented Church on if he thought DeCesare could get to the ball before crossing the line. "Kim is our Ms. hustle. If there was 'Charlie Hustle' of the soccer field, it is Kim DeCesare. We bring her off the bench – she could be a starter for almost anybody in the country. We feel like she is a starter. She plays starter minutes. But she brings so much energy, so much work rate into the game. She is not giving up on anything. When I looked back and saw somebody chasing it, I was glad it was Kimmy. If there was any way to get to the ball, she would make it happen."
The Blue Devils outshot the Wolfpack, 5-3, in the second half and was called offside four times.
"We were fortunate and I think that was a big part of the game, that it was nothing to nothing at halftime," said Church. "The second half, we took the level up some. We moved the ball better in the second half, our shape was much better and I thought we just had a great attacking mentality."
Towards the end of the first half and into the second stanza, the Blue Devils started to pick up the run of play and began to challenge the Wolfpack. Duke attempted the first five shots of the second half as the Blue Devils were all over the box. Sophomore Mollie Pathman hit the crossbar for the second straight match in the 53rd minute.
Then, in the 64th minute, Pathman drew a couple of defenders to her on the left side as she ran down the edge of the box. A native of Durham, N.C., Pathman used her left foot to cross a ball that went straight to the head of a leaping Kaitlyn Kerr. Kerr headed the rock into the right corner of the net past Wolfpack goalkeeper Kim Kern.
"Kaitlyn made a great run," said Pathman. "There was a lot of people in the box and she called for it. I was able to get my head up and just find her. She had a great finish – kept it down. Sometimes people head it over but Kaitlyn did a great job."
Kerr's tally was her fourth game-winner of the year. Three of those game-winners came against ACC opponents and were 1-0 contests.
"I am kind of speechless right now," said Pathman on winning the title. "I don't think it has completely sunk in. This is why we came to Duke and what we are fighting for. We definitely want a national championship, but this is one step closer to that goal and I think it is a great accomplishment."
NC State tried to make a late rally and brought Kern up on a final corner kick as the time was winding down, but the Blue Devil defense stood strong for their 13th shutout of the season. The 13 shutouts matched a Duke school record, which also occurred in 2008 and 1992. In goal for the Blue Devils, Campbell netted one save for her 12th shutout of the season and the 26th of her career.
"It is a great accomplishment," said Kerr on winning the ACC title. "Our team has been working. It is not just this year – it has been a process. Robbie has been here for so many years – all of our coaches are absolutely amazing. I say we have the best coaching staff in the country and they prepare us every day. We prepare ourselves. Winning this has just been a huge process – worked day in and day out. We really wanted it. We just have to keep going. We are proud but not satisfied."
#GoDuke
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