Duke Suffers First ACC Loss on Road at FSU in Overtime

 

October 20, 2016

 

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A golden goal by Florida State in the first overtime pushed the seventh-ranked Seminoles past fourth-ranked Duke, 1-0, Thursday evening at the Seminole Soccer Complex in Tallahassee, Fla., to hand the Blue Devils their first ACC loss of the season. 

 

Duke moved to 11-3-2 overall and 6-1-1 in the ACC, while Florida State improved to 11-2-2, 5-1-2. 

 

In the first half, both teams were held scoreless with the Blue Devils holding a 6-2 shot advantage.  The Seminoles featured two shots over the first seven minutes, but were held without an attempt the remainder of the half. 

 

The Blue Devils had three straight shots within a four-minute span, but two went wide and one blocked. 

 

Duke’s best scoring chance of the first half came in the 40^th minute as the Seminoles fouled giving the Blue Devils a free kick.  Junior Ashton Miller sent a free kick into a charging Imani Dorsey, but her attempt went just wide.  Dorsey along with senior Toni Payne led Duke with two shots each, while freshman Olivia Erlbeck, senior Christina Gibbons and freshman Mia Gyau each fired shots in the first half.

 

A corner kick in the 61^st minute for the Blue Devils and freshman Ella Stevens got her head on the kick by Miller, but a Seminole defender was able to save the attempt off the line. 

 

The first shot of the second half for Florida State was a dangerous one as Kristen McFarland made a quick turn and sent a left-footed shot wide left.  The Blue Devils defenders did a good job of closing in and making McFarland rush her attempt. 

 

In the 85^th minute, Gyau was taken down in the box and Duke was awarded a penalty kick.  Gibbons, who has connected on three penalty kicks this season, stepped up and her attempt was saved.  Off the rebound, Gibbons had a wide open goal but her attempt went high over the crossbar. 

 

Erlbeck, who is from San Diego, Calif., blasted a shot in the final minute from the top of the box, but Florida State’s goalkeeper Cassie Miller got a hand on it and pushed it into the crossbar.  Just 13 seconds later, Gibbons had a shot that was also saved by Miller. 

 

In the first overtime, Stevens had a shot that went high and then the Seminoles capitalized on a great chance.  Kaycie Tillman headed in a shot into the right corner past a leaping Duke goalkeeper EJ Proctor to give FSU a 1-0 victory off assists from Olivia Bergar and Natalia Kuikka. 

 

Duke dominated play the entire match holding a 17-5 shot advantage with Gibbons leading the charge with four attempts. 

 

Proctor, who hails from Wilson, N.C., finished the evening with one save and allowed just the fourth goal of the season in ACC action. 

 

Duke will continue its final road trip of the 2016 regular season Sunday, Oct. 23 as the Blue Devils will take on Pitt at 1 p.m.  The match will be aired live on the ACC Network Extra.

 

#GoDuke

 

Notes:

• Christina Gibbons had her streak end at five games with at least one point in each contest.