Clemson’s Early Goal Downs Duke, 1-0, to Conclude Regular Season

 

October 27, 2016

 

DURHAM, N.C. – The 13^th-ranked Clemson Lady Tigers scored an early goal and held off the sixth-ranked Blue Devils to rest of the way to register a 1-0 win over Duke to conclude the regular season at Koskinen Stadium in Durham, N.C.

 

With the loss for the Blue Devils, Duke (12-4-2, 7-2-1 in the ACC) dropped to No. 3 in the ACC and will host fifth-ranked and sixth-seeded Florida State Sunday, Oct. 30 at 1 p.m., in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament. 

 

Notre Dame will be the No. 1 seed, while Clemson (2), Duke (3), North Carolina (4), Virginia (5), Florida State (6), Miami (7) and NC State (8) are seeded in the ACC Tournament. 

 

Clemson (13-3-2, 7-1-2) jumped on the Blue Devils early as the Lady Tigers’ Sam Staab headed home a corner kick from Shannon Horgan only 4:06 into the match.  Staab was able to place the header into the top left corner over a leaping Duke goalkeeper EJ Proctor.  The goal was the earlier tally allowed this season for the Blue Devils.

Duke couldn’t muster much offense in the first half and was held to only two shots.  Freshman Olivia Erlbeck one-timed the Blue Devils’ first attempt 14:50 into the match. 

The best scoring chance for the Blue Devils was in the 38^th minute as senior Toni Payne fed a driving junior Imani Dorsey, but Dorsey’s attempt was saved by Clemson goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan towards the near post. 

At the half, Clemson held a 3-2 shot advantage.

Duke came out looking like a different team in the second half and outshot the Lady Tigers, 13-2. 

 

Payne nearly got a one-v-one opportunity in the first three minutes, but was called for offside.  In the 57^th and 59^th minutes, junior Ashton Miller had a couple of opportunities, but a header and right-footed shoot went wide left. 

 

Duke’s best opportunity came in the 71^st minute as senior Christina Gibbons tried to place a shot into far corner, but a Clemson defender was there to save it before the ball got to the line.  The Blue Devils kept trying to get a goal past the stingy Lady Tiger defense but couldn’t in the end.

 

For the match, Duke outshot Clemson, 15-5, with Dorsey, Miller, Erlbeck and Gibbons all attempting three shots.  The Blue Devils were shutout at home for the third time this season.

 

A week ago, the Blue Devils traveled to Tallahassee, Fla., and faced Florida State.  Duke had a penalty kick chance stopped late in the match, before falling in overtime, 1-0. 

 

#GoDuke