Duke women's soccer draws with shorthanded No. 2 Seminoles

When at first they failed, the Blue Devils tried, tried again. But Duke could not find the back of the net Sunday and missed a chance to open up ACC play with a home victory against a depleted juggernaut. 

The No. 22 Blue Devils drew with No. 2 Florida State 0-0 Sunday at Koskinen Stadium, holding the Seminoles scoreless for the first time this season. Duke bested the Seminoles 25-8 in total shots and 6-1 in shots on goal, but the many empty opportunities overshadowed the defense’s eighth shutout of the year.

“We played well, but we just didn’t quite do the final thing, and that was being able to finish up in the 18-yard box,” Duke head coach Robbie Church said. “We had good quality chances, but just didn’t finish that up.”

Duke (6-2-2, 0-0-1 in the ACC) could not have played Florida State (7-1-1, 0-0-1) at a better time. The Seminoles’ senior midfielder Isabella Schmid was returning from an injury and played just 17 minutes, and five players—all hailing from outside the United States—were absent.  The result was a Florida State formation set up conservatively, often with nine players behind the ball.

“I think they showed us a lot of respect,” Church said of Florida State’s defensive scheme. “The defending national champions basically come out in the 4-5-1, and they sat deep. I think that’s a sign of a lot of respect about people looking at our program.”

With senior forward Cheyna Williams still in the lineup, Duke triple-teamed the 2014 College Cup Most Outstanding Player on Offense, limiting her to one shot and zero shots on goal. Sophomore Schuyler DeBree was particularly critical to the defensive effort, on one play in the first half using her shoulders and body to push Williams off the ball and letting the ball roll past the goal line to prevent a Seminole corner or shot on goal.

 The Blue Devils also came up with a defensive stop when they needed it most—at the very end of the game. Florida State had more shot attempts in overtime than it had during regulation, and it almost scored twice in the first 10-minute session, but both shots sailed wide.

“There’s this feeling that…every single person on that back line is so solid,” freshman Taylor Racioppi said. “And that’s just a confidence that they put into our forwards. So that when they do win that ball, we’re gone. We’re turning it on to offense.”

That confidence was apparent in many of Duke’s opportunities. In the second minute, sophomore defender Morgan Reid sent a cross from the right flank to junior midfielder Rebecca Quinn, whose shot was blocked and landed right at Racioppi’s feet. But Racioppi—with an open look—struck the ball right at sprawling Seminole goalkeeper Cassie Miller, who made the save.

“That’s a rough one, on the six yard line,” Racioppi said. “I popped it up, and I should have kept it low, and [what] phenomenal goalkeeping they have.”

The Blue Devils continued to apply pressure throughout the match, but often had to send in crosses rather than connect passes on the ground due to the Seminoles’ collapsing defense. Racioppi almost scored in the second half off a header, but she fell down in the process—had the referee blown his whistle, the freshman would have been awarded a penalty kick—and the shot sailed wide. Freshman forward Kayla McCoy also had a header opportunity in the second half off a corner, but after jumping over two defenders, her header hit the outside netting of the goal.

Perhaps the Blue Devils’ best chance came in overtime. Junior defender Christina Gibbons crossed the ball from the left flank and to the top of the box, feeding redshirt sophomore midfielder Cassie Pecht, whose shot was then backheeled by Racioppi to McCoy. Within the six-yard box but with Miller approaching, McCoy hit a shot with the side of her foot that Miller swatted while sliding. As the ball trickled toward the goal, Florida State cleared the ball just before McCoy could tap the ball in, all but sealing the shutout.

“There’s no question the keeper made a few good saves, where a couple got cleared off the line,” Church said. “But we’re in the ACC. We have to have short memories because we have to move on to Boston College and Virginia this week.”

The Blue Devils visit the Eagles Thursday before a road test Sunday against the defending national runner-up Cavaliers.