05-18-2008, 08:18 AM
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Duke got a superb 13-save performance from Kim Imbesi and pulled off its second straight upset in the NCAA Tournament, this time a 9-7 victory in the quarterfinals against No. 3 Maryland at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex. In doing so, the Blue Devils will now make their fourth consecutive trip to the national semifinals.
Duke took a 3-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the contest, only to watch that advantage evaporate as the Terps scored four goals in a span of 3:25 midway through the first period. The Blue Devils were able to knot the score 4-4 going into halftime in an offensively sparse second part of the first half.
The two well-matched team traded the first four goals of the second stanza to stay tied at 6-6 with 17:09 remaining in the game. That’s when Duke took over, notching three straight goals that included junior attacker Megan Del Monte’s second goal and second assist of the game. Sophomore midfielder Lindsay Gilbride led off that run with her second goal of the match. Leading 9-6 with 7:07 remaining, the Devil defense clamped down on the high-powered Maryland attack, allowing just one goal the rest of the way.
The story of the game was the defense, which held Maryland to the fewest goals it has scored at home this season and its second-lowest goal total overall. Imbesi’s 13 stops included six in a span of 4:20 late in the game when Duke was holding onto a three-goal lead. Imbesi’s goals against average in Duke’s last five games is a mere 8.09 and her save percentage is a whopping .517.
“Nothing was going through my head other than that I knew that the longer I could keep them from scoring, the more time would run off the clock and the less chance they would be able to have to come back,” said Imbesi.
Senior defender Aiyana Newton held Tewaaraton Trophy finalist Kelly Kasper to one goal and midfielders Jess Adam, Emma Hamm and Allie Johnson kept ACC Player of the Year and Tewaaraton Trophy finalist Dana Dobbie at bay, allowing her just one score. Junior Christina Germinario also picked up four ground balls and only allowed one goal to attacker Lauren Cohen to aid the defensive effort.
“A lot of my success has to do with what my defense has been able to do,” said Imbesi. “They are playing the best defense that we have played all season. They are forcing our opponents to take bad shots with bad angles and I’m able to see the ball and where it’s going to go. It’s all adrenaline.”
Duke improves to 13-7 this season and holds a 6-7 record over ranked teams and a 4-5 mark over top-10 competition. The Blue Devils are 6-4 this year on the road. Maryland finishes the season at 18-3, with two of its three losses coming to Duke.
The Terrapins were led by sophomore midfielder Caitlyn McFadden with three goals on the day. Maryland had its streak of 17 straight home wins come to an end, a run that dated back to April of 2006 and included both years of head coach Cathy Reese’s tenure.
Duke is now 8-9 all-time against Maryland, and has won six of the previous seven contests between the two teams. The Blue Devils are now 12-10 in the NCAA tournament and earned their second straight road victory in it after having gone 0-7 previously in road and neutral contests. This is Duke’s 11th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, which is tied for the third-longest run in Division I.
Duke will play No. 2 Penn in the national semifinals on Friday, May 23 at 8:30 p.m., at Johnny Unitas Stadium in Towson, Md. The national championship game is on Sunday, May 25 at 7:00 p.m., in the same location. If the Blue Devils make it they will face the winner of No. 1 Northwestern - No. 5 Syracuse.
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Duke took a 3-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the contest, only to watch that advantage evaporate as the Terps scored four goals in a span of 3:25 midway through the first period. The Blue Devils were able to knot the score 4-4 going into halftime in an offensively sparse second part of the first half.
The two well-matched team traded the first four goals of the second stanza to stay tied at 6-6 with 17:09 remaining in the game. That’s when Duke took over, notching three straight goals that included junior attacker Megan Del Monte’s second goal and second assist of the game. Sophomore midfielder Lindsay Gilbride led off that run with her second goal of the match. Leading 9-6 with 7:07 remaining, the Devil defense clamped down on the high-powered Maryland attack, allowing just one goal the rest of the way.
The story of the game was the defense, which held Maryland to the fewest goals it has scored at home this season and its second-lowest goal total overall. Imbesi’s 13 stops included six in a span of 4:20 late in the game when Duke was holding onto a three-goal lead. Imbesi’s goals against average in Duke’s last five games is a mere 8.09 and her save percentage is a whopping .517.
“Nothing was going through my head other than that I knew that the longer I could keep them from scoring, the more time would run off the clock and the less chance they would be able to have to come back,” said Imbesi.
Senior defender Aiyana Newton held Tewaaraton Trophy finalist Kelly Kasper to one goal and midfielders Jess Adam, Emma Hamm and Allie Johnson kept ACC Player of the Year and Tewaaraton Trophy finalist Dana Dobbie at bay, allowing her just one score. Junior Christina Germinario also picked up four ground balls and only allowed one goal to attacker Lauren Cohen to aid the defensive effort.
“A lot of my success has to do with what my defense has been able to do,” said Imbesi. “They are playing the best defense that we have played all season. They are forcing our opponents to take bad shots with bad angles and I’m able to see the ball and where it’s going to go. It’s all adrenaline.”
Duke improves to 13-7 this season and holds a 6-7 record over ranked teams and a 4-5 mark over top-10 competition. The Blue Devils are 6-4 this year on the road. Maryland finishes the season at 18-3, with two of its three losses coming to Duke.
The Terrapins were led by sophomore midfielder Caitlyn McFadden with three goals on the day. Maryland had its streak of 17 straight home wins come to an end, a run that dated back to April of 2006 and included both years of head coach Cathy Reese’s tenure.
Duke is now 8-9 all-time against Maryland, and has won six of the previous seven contests between the two teams. The Blue Devils are now 12-10 in the NCAA tournament and earned their second straight road victory in it after having gone 0-7 previously in road and neutral contests. This is Duke’s 11th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, which is tied for the third-longest run in Division I.
Duke will play No. 2 Penn in the national semifinals on Friday, May 23 at 8:30 p.m., at Johnny Unitas Stadium in Towson, Md. The national championship game is on Sunday, May 25 at 7:00 p.m., in the same location. If the Blue Devils make it they will face the winner of No. 1 Northwestern - No. 5 Syracuse.
http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?D...ID=1471515