No. 1 Blue Devils Storm Back, Defeat No. 17 California, 2-1

Sunday, October 13

Berkeley, Calif.

4 p.m.

Duke University

California

Photo by: Aubrey Tibbils

No. 1 Blue Devils Storm Back, Defeat No. 17 California, 2-1

10/13/2024 8:38:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Freeman Interview Roller Interview Photo Gallery Church Interview

BERKELEY, Calif. – The top-ranked Duke women's soccer team scored two unanswered goals Sunday afternoon at Historic Edwards Stadium/Goldman Field to defeat 17th-ranked California, 2-1, on the road in Berkeley.

Mia Minestrella and Cameron Roller scored for the Blue Devils over the final 20 minutes of the second half, after Duke trailed, 1-0, at the break. Roller's game-winner came at the 86:45 mark, which was the latest Duke goal of the season. Blue Devil keeper Leah Freeman played another outstanding match in goal finishing with four saves and the victory.

Duke improved to 11-1-0, 6-0-0 in the ACC, while California dropped to 10-3-2, 3-2-1.

How It Happened

California had the first scoring chance of the match in the fourth minute as Karlie Lema got free from the defense and had a one-v-one chance that went just wide left of the post.
The Blue Devils came back with a pair of shots that went wide and saved, respectively, from Farrah Walters and Mia Oliaro.
Duke continued to pepper the California goal, but couldn't get anything past the line and held a 9-2 shot advantage late in the first half.
The Golden Bears were able to get on the board at the 38:36 mark as Lema got Duke goalkeeper Leah Freeman out of the goal and finished inside the right post to give California a 1-0 advantage.
Duke trailed for the first time since the season opener at Ohio State and snapped a streak of 938:35 without trailing, which was the second-longest in program history.
The Blue Devils had a couple of changes late, but Julia Saunicheva and Maggie Graham's attempts went wide and saved.
At the half, Duke held a 12-3 advantage in shots, but trailed, 1-0.Oliaro led the way with three attempts, while Walters and Saunicheva added two each.
The Blue Devils came out on the attack in the second half and featured one of their best scoring-chances of the match as junior Carina Lageyre fired a blast from the top of the box that was saved by the team as a defender headed it away.
After Walters was fouled just outside the box in the 66th minute, junior Devin Lynch stepped up and blasted a shot that went high over the crossbar.
Duke was able to get the equalizer at the 70:44 mark as graduate student Nicky Chico found Oliaro on the right side of the pitch.Oliaro, who hails from Chapel Hill, sent a cross in front of the goal where sophomore Mia Minestrella was there to head into the left corner of the net.
In the 77th minute, California had another scoring chance, but Freeman was there for the diving stop on a shot by Noelle Bond-Flasza.
Freeman added another key save in the 82nd minute with her right leg to keep the score, 1-1.
Duke kept peppering the Golden Bear goal and broke through with the game-winner at the 86:45 mark. Graduate student Hannah Bebar sent a quick corner kick short to Lynch, who crossed in a ball in front of the goal.The California keeper punched it to Duke sophomore defender Cameron Roller, who volleyed a shot off a Golden Bear player and into the goal.
For the match, Duke outshot California, 20-6.Lynch led the way with four, while Oliaro and Lageyre each added three.

Notes

The Blue Devils snapped a streak of 10 straight matches scoring in the first half.
Duke's streak of scoring three or more goals in seven consecutive matches came to an end as Duke scored two.
Devin Lynch has scored or assisted now in eight straight matches with her assist.
Leah Freeman moved to 3-1-1 all-time against California with all three wins coming in Berkeley.
Duke concluded its California trip with a win against No. 7 Stanford (4-1) and No. 17 (California).
The Blue Devils notched their 11th-straight victory on the season.
Duke is 6-0-0 to open the ACC for only the second time in school history (2017).
Duke is now 4-1 on the road this season.
The Blue Devils allowed only their sixth goal of the season.
Cameron Roller now owns three goals this season, while Minestrella has six.
The Blue Devils are the only undefeated team remaining in the ACC.

Quotes

"Oh my gosh. I can't even put into words.Devin sent in a swinger across after a foul. And I think there was like, 4-5 minutes left, and I just ran up there. I was like, 'Cameron, do everything you possibly can to get this in the goal.' The ball came in, whipped in. I was sitting back post. I was sitting there waiting for the ball. It was bobbling around. I think Maggie was in the goal. Katie was in the goal, trying to get a head on it. And then the ball just came right to me, and I just volleyed it in."-- Duke sophomore Cameron Roller
"It was amazing.Just being able to come out of a deficit. It's one of the first times this season that we've been down. So, being able to really rally together as a team and go forward and get everything together really, really made a difference for us. And I think it just shows us that we can. And we really were gritty today, and that's exactly what we needed."- Duke fifth year Leah Freeman
"It's amazing. It's not often you get to fly across the country and play in front of all your friends and family. And I got the opportunity to do that today, and it was really, really great. And I know a lot of the people on our team got to do that as well. There's nothing more special than a win in Berkeley for me, and it's my sixth time playing Cal in my college career. So, finishing it off with a win and with this team specifically, has just been so amazing." -- Duke fifth year Leah Freeman
"We are not going to go into halftime up two goals [every match] and we have been fortunate to have that a lot this season.A little adversity – we know this team though.There was not panic in the coaching staff as we were meeting to go into our halftime talk.We were playing well.We just had to do a few things different.We gave up a little bit of a soft goal we thought.Let's give credit to Cal.This was a big crowd here, big day for them, a great foundation they were playing for and they played really, really well.We hung in there, fought and scrapped.You could see the goal was coming in the second half.We just had to stay in and believe.We did it and executed though.You could always wish and hope they come, but you have to execute and make it happen.You have to make those hard runs.The character of this team is just unbelievable. I really could not be any prouder of this group right now.An absolutely great win. To come out to California and get two wins against two really good teams home field is outstanding." -- Duke head coach Robbie Church

Next Match

Duke will return home to host Boston College Saturday, Oct. 19 at 5 p.m., inside Koskinen Stadium.

To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's soccer, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWSOC".

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