Less than a month ago, Duke fell to Wake Forest 2-1 in the ACC tournament semifinals. Now, just a win away from their second-ever NCAA finals appearance, the Blue Devils have a chance to settle the score against their conference foe.
In the regular season, Duke sophomore forward Laura Weinberg scored two second-half goals to hand the Demon Deacons, who were missing leading scorer Katie Stengel, a 2-0 loss in Winston-Salem.
In the ACC tournament, however, Wake Forest notched the first two goals, and though sophomore midfielder Kim DeCesare scored in the second half, the Blue Devils’ comeback fell short in a 2-1 loss.
“I think the difference was [that in the first match]… I barely played and I think Katie was out for the whole game,” Demon Deacon defender Jackie Logue said. “I think we know that since we beat them once, that if we can play our game to the fullest and do everything that we can do, that we can win tomorrow.”
Now the two teams meet as No. 1 seeds from their respective regions, and Duke will have the opportunity to prove it can beat a full-strength Wake Forest squad.
“We’re looking to kind of get what we lost back, because we did have a loss to them,” DeCesare said. “It’s about revenge.”
While the conference rivalry adds to each team’s motivation, it may also provide them with an easier transition into playing in the national spotlight. The Blue Devils are making just their first College Cup appearance since 1992, and the Demon Deacons are in their first in program history.
“I think it maybe takes a little bit of the edge off in that we’ve already faced each other on a big stage like this,” Wake Forest head coach Tony da Luz said. “It may take away a little bit of the nervousness, knowing your opponent pretty well. It’s the third game and we have to break the tie.”
For their part, the Demon Deacons, led by Stengel and midfielder Rachel Nuzzolese, will face the challenge of cracking a Blue Devil defense that has allowed just 11 goals all season. If any team has the answer to the Duke back line’s stymying play this season, however, it is Wake Forest—one of only two teams to score twice in a game against the Blue Devils. Although she did not score in the last matchup, Stengel, who owns 19 goals on the season, will pose the biggest threat for the Demon Deacons.
“She is a sniper in the box,” Church said. “What amazes me is... sometimes forwards need a high number of opportunities to score goals. She doesn’t need that. She needs one or two chances, and she’s going to bury her chances.”
In addition to her efficient finishes, Stengel possesses an instinct for scoring in any situation.
“She’s a type of forward that’s always going to go at the goal,” Duke junior goalkeeper Tara Campbell said. “Some forwards like to get an assist every now and then. I don’t see that in her. Even if she’s in the corner, on the endline, she’s going to try to go at the goal and score.”
On the other side, the Blue Devils will look to an array of scoring options, including sophomore midfielder Kaitlyn Kerr and freshman forward Kelly Cobb, who have both amassed double-digit goal totals this season.
“[Cobb’s] extremely physical, but also she’s like a finesse player,” Kerr said. “So having three people in the midfield, we just try to play off her. If she makes a run inside, I’m going out. If she comes down, I’m going up. She’s just an awesome player.”
Still, Wake Forest possesses an extremely stingy defense of its own, which has allowed only 16 goals all year and will pose the biggest challenge to Duke’s offense in the tournament so far.
“There’s not going to be a lot of chances with Wake,” Church said. “It’s just a matter of when your chances come. You’ve got to be ready, and you’ve got to finish them.”
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