Ndaw Collects First Career Goal, Duke Draws at Virginia, 1-1

Sunday, October 1

Charlottesville, Va.

12 p.m.

Duke University

5-3-2, 1-1-2

Virginia

5-2-4, 0-2-2

Duke

Virginia

Dieynaba Ndaw, Maggie Graham, Carina Lageyre

Photo by: Steve DiMarco

Ndaw Collects First Career Goal, Duke Draws at Virginia, 1-1

10/1/2023 3:35:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Ndaw Interview

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – In her first collegiate start, Duke women's soccer junior Dieynaba Ndaw registered her first goal, but the 17th-ranked Blue Devils finished in a 1-1 draw with Virginia on Sunday afternoon at Klockner Stadium in Charlottesville, Va.

Ndaw, who hails from Dakar, Senegal, collected Duke's quickest goal in the second half this season at the 46:44 mark as the Blue Devils move to 5-3-2 overall and 1-1-2 in ACC action, while Virginia is now 5-2-3, 0-2-2.

How It Happened
•   Duke sophomore Elle Piper attempted the first shot of the match that went wide at the 10:38 mark.
•   The Cavaliers had a great scoring chance in the 29th minute as Sarah Brunner drove towards the Duke goal where Blue Devil goalkeeper Leah Freeman tried to make a sliding tackle. The ball bounced off the players and to the feet of Brunner, who had an open goal in front of her, but senior defender Nicky Chico used her foot to block Brunner's attempt.
•   At the end of the first half, Virginia held a 3-2 advantage in shots. All five shots by both teams were not on goal.
•   The Blue Devils came out in the second half and got on the board quickly at the 46:44 mark. Senior Maggie Graham stole the ball from a Virginia defender and drove down the left side of the pitch. She crossed to a streaking Kat Rader, who fed Dieynaba Ndaw. Ndaw took a touch and fired in a shot that went off the left post and inside the right side of the netting for her first collegiate goal in her first start.
•   Virginia was able to even the match less than eight minutes later as Maggie Cagle got open near the back post and finished past Freeman.
•   The Cavaliers added three more shots and then Duke sophomore Devin Lynch attempted a pair that went wide.
•   With a little over seven minutes remaining, graduate student Kati Druzina sent a perfect cross to the head of Graham, but her header attempt slid just wide past the right post.
•   Duke kept pressing, which led to a pair of shots by Graham and sophomore Carina Lageyre, which were blocked and saved, respectively.

Notes
•   Duke head coach Robbie Church missed Sunday's match with an illness. Associate head coach Kieran Hall was the acting head coach for the match.
•   Junior Dieynaba Ndaw made her first collegiate start.
•   Senior defender Emily Royson and senior forward Olivia Migli missed their second straight match with injuries. Senior Grace Watkins also missed the match with an injury.
•   Junior defender Baleigh Bruster returned to the lineup, after missing the NC State match with an injury.
•   Duke's goal by Ndaw was the first goal the Blue Devils have scored in the second half this season against ACC opponents. It is also only the fourth overall goal in the second half by Duke this season.
•   It marks the second straight match Duke has finished in a draw.
•   Leah Freeman finished with two saves in goal over 90 minutes.

Quotes
•   "I think the energy coming out in the second half was great. It was what we talked about at halftime. We were looking to catch them out in sort of a transitional moment if possible. It was a great goal, great finish. Really delighted for JJ (Dieynaba Ndaw). There is no one that has earned that more than JJ for sure." -- Duke associate head coach Kieran Hall
•   "It was honestly a great feeling. We have all been working really hard and I just love the confidence my team and my coaches have in me. I was just going out there and to be able to show what I could do. I was glad I was able to do that." -- Duke junior Dieynaba Ndaw on getting her first start
•   "I just was running forward. I saw Kat getting in the box and we have talked a lot about getting in the box and letting them make decisions. It kind of fell perfectly to my left foot so I had to just strike it as best as I could. Glad it went in." -- Duke junior Dieynaba Ndaw on scoring her first goal

Next Match
Duke remains on the road as the Blue Devils travel to Pittsburgh, Pa., to face Pittsburgh on Thursday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m.

To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's soccer, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWSOC".

#GoDuke