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Lynch’s Rise: Confidence, Hard Work, and Team Culture Drive Success
10/14/2024 2:46:00 PM | Women's Soccer
DURHAM, N.C. -- For Devin Lynch, this season has been nothing short of exhilarating. Not only has the team been thriving on the field, but for Lynch personally, it's been a period of growth and fulfillment.
After coming off the bench early in the season, an injury to a teammate opened up an opportunity for her to step into a more prominent role — a moment she has seized with enthusiasm and confidence.
"I was trying to come in this season and just to make contributions to scoring goals and assists, and whether that was coming off the bench or starting that's what I wanted to do," Lynch explained. "It's been a lot of fun being able to start and just kind of creating that confidence once that first goal was scored and the confidence kept going from there."
Lynch's breakout moment came in the Blue Devils' home match against UNC Wilmington in late August. Lynch scored a 24-yard long-range shot that not only impressed her teammates and coaches but also reignited her passion for scoring goals.
"Scoring that goal created my confidence -- knowing I can hit those long-range shots. Now, when I get the ball outside the box, I'm more comfortable taking those chances. Seeing the ball hit the back of the net, especially when I scored for the first time, reignited my drive to be a goal scorer -- something I didn't feel as much during my freshman and sophomore years," Lynch reflected on that in-game moment.
Before Duke, Lynch played as a goal-scoring attacking midfielder with her club team and had even spent time as a defensive midfielder on national teams.
Lynch's hard work ethic was developed from an early age. Understanding the importance of pushing herself to get to the next level was crucial to continuing her soccer journey down the right path.
"Looking back to eighth grade, I had been invited to my first National Team camp, but I wasn't invited back afterward. That was a turning point for me -- I realized I needed to step up and take my game to the next level. So, I put in that extra effort, and by my freshman year, I got invited back to camps and kept going until COVID hit."
Lynch emphasized that this factor caused a mindset shift that pushed her game forward. Due to this mindset shift, by her freshman year, colleges, including Duke, started to notice her, and that's when she made her verbal commitment to play with the Blue Devils.
While her early years at Duke were marked by moments of self-doubt, Lynch has turned a corner. The off-season was crucial to this transformation.
She spent her summer playing for the River Light FC in the USL-W League, which helped her rediscover her love for the game and regain the confidence that had eluded her during her first two seasons. Lynch tallied six goals over 10 matches to help lead her squad into the conference semifinals.
"Playing with that summer league team, it was kind of just regaining that confidence and love for the game," said Lynch. "I created that again this summer, I played in many games this summer and got that goal-scoring mentality back and that helped me a ton coming into this preseason."
Lynch credits her teammates and Duke's formation this year for helping her thrive. The current system, which sees her playing a key role in creating attacking opportunities, has suited her well.
One of the driving forces behind her growth has been the influence of her teammates. Players like Ella Hase and Katie Groff have been instrumental in helping her develop both her offensive and defensive game.
"It's been a great formation for the team and I do enjoy playing that 10 role," added Lynch. "I've been switched around throughout my college experience so far, but I have that pocket of space that I can create attacks with Ella, Katie and Mia (Oliaro), whoever is playing in those roles. I think the formation has been working well with the players that we have. We have a great dynamic of people that want the ball; some into space, some to feet, it creates variation in our attacks."
But Lynch is quick to point out that much of the team's success this season stems from the culture they've built off the field as well, explaining:
"I know that every single one of my teammates is working so hard for me and the rest of the team and making sure that I'm doing the same for them," added Lynch.
All of Lynch's hard work has not gone unnoticed, with head coach Robbie Church barely being able to contain his immense pride in her.
"We're just so, so proud of Devin. I know, the first two years there's been some frustration in different times of playing time, but she's always continued to work, and she's never blamed anybody. She's always worked hard," Church explained. "Unfortunately, Kat (Rader) went down, and there was an opportunity for Devin (Lynch) to fall into the starting lineup and man, she's made the most of it, and we're really, really proud of what she's done. We wouldn't be in this position if it hadn't been for the play of Devin."
A product of Naperville, Ill., Lynch has totaled five goals and eight assists for 18 points on the season. Since joining the starting lineup eight matches ago, Lynch has registered four goals and all eight of her assists. She owns a team-best streak of scoring or assisting in eight consecutive contests.
Lynch has even etched herself into the Duke record books becoming only the fourth Blue Devil to score four or more goals as a junior, after being limited to zero goals her first two seasons -- Kelly Hathorn (6 in 2007), Heidi Hollenbeck (4 in 2004) and Molly Lester (4 in 2010).
In ACC matches only, Lynch leads the league with six assists and ranks tied for second with 12 points.
This newfound confidence, coupled with a tireless work ethic, has helped Lynch take her game to new heights this season. When asked if she feels like she's stepped up to another level, she agrees. It's this mentality that has turned Lynch into a key contributor for the Blue Devils this season, and her drive shows no signs of slowing down.
With her confidence fully restored and a team culture that emphasizes unity and hard work, Lynch is flourishing — and having a blast doing it.
Lynch and the No. 1 ranked Blue Devils (11-1, 6-0 ACC) are riding an 11-match winning streak and will next host Boston College on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 5 p.m., inside Koskinen Stadium.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's soccer, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWSOC".
Duke Centennial
In 2024, Duke celebrates its Centennial, marking one hundred years since Trinity College became Duke University. Duke will use this historic milestone to deepen the understanding of its history, inspire pride and strengthen bonds and partnerships, and prepare for a second century of continued excellence and impactful leadership. To learn more, please visit 100.duke.edu
#GoDuke
After coming off the bench early in the season, an injury to a teammate opened up an opportunity for her to step into a more prominent role — a moment she has seized with enthusiasm and confidence.
"I was trying to come in this season and just to make contributions to scoring goals and assists, and whether that was coming off the bench or starting that's what I wanted to do," Lynch explained. "It's been a lot of fun being able to start and just kind of creating that confidence once that first goal was scored and the confidence kept going from there."
Lynch's breakout moment came in the Blue Devils' home match against UNC Wilmington in late August. Lynch scored a 24-yard long-range shot that not only impressed her teammates and coaches but also reignited her passion for scoring goals.
33' | AND DEVIN FOLLOWS WITH HER FIRST CAREER GOAL! ??
— Duke Women's Soccer (@DukeWSOC) August 29, 2024
???? 3, UNCW 0 pic.twitter.com/rZkLoaNQtc
"Scoring that goal created my confidence -- knowing I can hit those long-range shots. Now, when I get the ball outside the box, I'm more comfortable taking those chances. Seeing the ball hit the back of the net, especially when I scored for the first time, reignited my drive to be a goal scorer -- something I didn't feel as much during my freshman and sophomore years," Lynch reflected on that in-game moment.
Before Duke, Lynch played as a goal-scoring attacking midfielder with her club team and had even spent time as a defensive midfielder on national teams.
Lynch's hard work ethic was developed from an early age. Understanding the importance of pushing herself to get to the next level was crucial to continuing her soccer journey down the right path.
"Looking back to eighth grade, I had been invited to my first National Team camp, but I wasn't invited back afterward. That was a turning point for me -- I realized I needed to step up and take my game to the next level. So, I put in that extra effort, and by my freshman year, I got invited back to camps and kept going until COVID hit."
Lynch emphasized that this factor caused a mindset shift that pushed her game forward. Due to this mindset shift, by her freshman year, colleges, including Duke, started to notice her, and that's when she made her verbal commitment to play with the Blue Devils.
While her early years at Duke were marked by moments of self-doubt, Lynch has turned a corner. The off-season was crucial to this transformation.
She spent her summer playing for the River Light FC in the USL-W League, which helped her rediscover her love for the game and regain the confidence that had eluded her during her first two seasons. Lynch tallied six goals over 10 matches to help lead her squad into the conference semifinals.
"Playing with that summer league team, it was kind of just regaining that confidence and love for the game," said Lynch. "I created that again this summer, I played in many games this summer and got that goal-scoring mentality back and that helped me a ton coming into this preseason."
Lynch credits her teammates and Duke's formation this year for helping her thrive. The current system, which sees her playing a key role in creating attacking opportunities, has suited her well.
One of the driving forces behind her growth has been the influence of her teammates. Players like Ella Hase and Katie Groff have been instrumental in helping her develop both her offensive and defensive game.
"It's been a great formation for the team and I do enjoy playing that 10 role," added Lynch. "I've been switched around throughout my college experience so far, but I have that pocket of space that I can create attacks with Ella, Katie and Mia (Oliaro), whoever is playing in those roles. I think the formation has been working well with the players that we have. We have a great dynamic of people that want the ball; some into space, some to feet, it creates variation in our attacks."
But Lynch is quick to point out that much of the team's success this season stems from the culture they've built off the field as well, explaining:
"I know that every single one of my teammates is working so hard for me and the rest of the team and making sure that I'm doing the same for them," added Lynch.
All of Lynch's hard work has not gone unnoticed, with head coach Robbie Church barely being able to contain his immense pride in her.
"We're just so, so proud of Devin. I know, the first two years there's been some frustration in different times of playing time, but she's always continued to work, and she's never blamed anybody. She's always worked hard," Church explained. "Unfortunately, Kat (Rader) went down, and there was an opportunity for Devin (Lynch) to fall into the starting lineup and man, she's made the most of it, and we're really, really proud of what she's done. We wouldn't be in this position if it hadn't been for the play of Devin."
A product of Naperville, Ill., Lynch has totaled five goals and eight assists for 18 points on the season. Since joining the starting lineup eight matches ago, Lynch has registered four goals and all eight of her assists. She owns a team-best streak of scoring or assisting in eight consecutive contests.
Lynch has even etched herself into the Duke record books becoming only the fourth Blue Devil to score four or more goals as a junior, after being limited to zero goals her first two seasons -- Kelly Hathorn (6 in 2007), Heidi Hollenbeck (4 in 2004) and Molly Lester (4 in 2010).
In ACC matches only, Lynch leads the league with six assists and ranks tied for second with 12 points.
This newfound confidence, coupled with a tireless work ethic, has helped Lynch take her game to new heights this season. When asked if she feels like she's stepped up to another level, she agrees. It's this mentality that has turned Lynch into a key contributor for the Blue Devils this season, and her drive shows no signs of slowing down.
With her confidence fully restored and a team culture that emphasizes unity and hard work, Lynch is flourishing — and having a blast doing it.
Lynch and the No. 1 ranked Blue Devils (11-1, 6-0 ACC) are riding an 11-match winning streak and will next host Boston College on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 5 p.m., inside Koskinen Stadium.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's soccer, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWSOC".
Duke Centennial
In 2024, Duke celebrates its Centennial, marking one hundred years since Trinity College became Duke University. Duke will use this historic milestone to deepen the understanding of its history, inspire pride and strengthen bonds and partnerships, and prepare for a second century of continued excellence and impactful leadership. To learn more, please visit 100.duke.edu
#GoDuke
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