Apparently, three times wasn't a charm for the women's soccer team.
After defeating No. 7 Clemson (18-2-1) twice earlier this season by a one-goal margin, the Blue Devils (14-8-1) were the victims of a one-goal loss Saturday, as they fell to the Tigers 2-1 in overtime in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Clemson's home turf. Forward Deliah Arrington secured the win for the Tigers less than five minutes into the extra period, when she knocked a shot from close range past Duke goalkeeper Thora Helgadottir after receiving a cross from sophomore Cindy Mullinix. Arrington's goal sent the Tigers to the third round of the NCAAs, while it sent the Blue Devils home for the offseason to consider what might have been.
"We certainly knew that we were capable of beating this team, but beating a team the quality of Clemson one time is an accomplishment, two times is incredible and doing it a third time would have been very difficult," coach Bill Hempen said. "But, with that being said, we were certainly in it until the end."
How was Duke able to stay in it so long with the Tigers? Despite being outshot by Clemson 11-6 and giving up an early goal to forward Heather Beem only one minute into the contest, the Blue Devils were able to muster one goal when it counted to send the game into an extra stanza. Forward Alison Sanders tied the game 15 minutes into the second half when she retrieved a miscleared ball eight yards away from the goal and launched a shot past Clemson goalkeeper Katie Carson just inside the left corner of the goal.
However, Sander's goal was not the last chance that either team had to finalize the outcome of the game before the end of regulation. In fact, both teams had numerous scoring opportunities upon which they were unable to capitalize.
"I think Clemson may have missed two or three real good opportunities," Hempen said. "I don't know if ours ever clearly materialized, like crosses that went through the box and no shot really came from it."
But in overtime, the fatigued and injured Blue Devils were not able to create many opportunities to steal the contest from the home team, while the Tigers responded with the eventual deciding goal on only their second shot of overtime.
"It was weird," Hempen said. "Stephanie Kraay hasn't played all year until the ACC tournament and she had one leg bandaged. Katie Heaps hurt herself in practice the day before the game and I was shocked that she even played. Kelly Harris had done something in the Furman game and all of our kids were a bit fatigued."
Hempen added that he was ready to make a substitution to give his team fresh legs, but that the game-ending goal came before he could switch his tired players out.
In addition to being fatigued, the Blue Devils also suffered from Clemson's home-field advantage, an edge that Duke was fortunate enough to have in the first two matchups. Hempen believes that in games that are fought tooth and nail, the team that has the home crowd and the familiar surroundings will almost always prevail.
"In conference games, if it's a close game, the home team usually wins," he said. "All three of our games were close-the two we played at Duke, we won; the one we played at Clemson, they won."
Despite the season-ending loss, the Blue Devils feel pretty pleased with their accomplishments throughout the season. Besides beating highly touted Clemson twice, Duke also recorded a respectable 14-8-1 record, made it to the finals of the ACC tournament and proved it belonged in the NCAA tournament with its first-round victory over Furman.
The Blue Devils did not achieve their most coveted goal, however, which was earning a bid to the Final Four.
"We obviously wanted to get to the Final Four, but we didn't achieve that one," Hempen said. "But with that being said, I'm real happy with the way things turned out. In any season, you're going to have your ups and downs. We started off like a wall of fire, kind of hit a little bit of a slump, and them came on strong at the end in the [ACC] tournament."
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