For most of the players on the 24th-ranked women’s soccer team, this weekend’s trip to Hawaii was their first visit to the island paradise.
But for freshman goalie Allison Lipsher, it was a homecoming just weeks after beginning her Duke career. Playing on the same field where she won a state championship last fall, the Hawaii native recorded a pair of shutouts to help the Blue Devils win two games over the weekend.
“She was very comfortable coming home,” head coach Robbie Church said. “I’m really proud of how she stood up to the pressure; she made some great saves.”
Dominating both opponents, Duke (4-2) defeated Hawaii Friday 2-0 and came back Saturday to beat Long Beach State 3-0 at the Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Soccer Classic.
Junior Shelly Marshall put the Blue Devils on the board Friday with her first goal of the season in the 42nd minute. Marshall slammed home a rebound after the Hawaii keeper blocked multiple Duke shots.
Sophomore Sarah McCabe scored an insurance goal in the 77th minute, her third of the season, on a pass from Kate Seibert. Duke pounded the Hawaii net with 18 shots during the game.
Although the Blue Devils’ offense ultimately came on strong, it did not have a solid scoring opportunity until the 24th minute.
“I thought we played really well tonight,” Church said. “I thought we came out and played well early, but then Hawaii took over for a 10-minute stretch in the first half. Then, we were able to add a goal late in the half, which was huge.”
The defense in front of Lipsher was solid, holding the Warriors (3-2-1) to eight shots and one corner attempt.
“Our team defense really improved,” said Church, whose team surrendered five goals to Florida in its previous game. “We came into the games looking to work on our organization in the final third.”
The Blue Devils’ defense remained solid in game two of the Classic, when senior Casey McCluskey was the offensive catalyst. McCluskey scored in 20th and 44th minutes, her second and third goals of the season. Carolyn Riggs netted the final goal, her first of in 2004, in the 76th minute.
The team’s 3-0 win over Long Beach State (3-1) was indicative of its offensive fortitude. Duke outshot the 49ers 20-2.
Despite dealing with serious jet lag and the distractions of some free time in the paradise that is Hawaii, Church said, “The girls adjusted well.”
The Blue Devils flew back to North Carolina Sunday and will have a week to prepare for the important Duke/adidas Classic Friday and Sunday. Both Georgia and Furman are in Duke’s region, and therefore the contests could have NCAA Tournament implications.
“We came down here to improve and we achieved that,” Church said. “We’re looking to take those improvements into our next games.”
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