Hokies advance to College Cup for first time

• by Soccer America , Nov 30, 2013

[VIRGINIA TECH-DUKE: Women] Virginia Tech advanced to the Women's College Cup for the first time with a 3-0 win over ACC rival Duke on Friday in Blacksburg. After watching Duke hit the woodwork twice in the first half, the Hokies got a goal from Katie Yensen with 13 seconds in the first half and put the game away with second-half goals from Shannon Mayrose and Jazmine Reeves to move into the semifinals Friday against Florida State in Cary, N.C.

“I’m obviously really pleased and excited about the result tonight,” Virginia Tech coach Chugger Adair said. “Going to the final four is great for the girls; they’re excited and I think it’s well deserved.”

Alaskan Kelly Cobb drilled the crossbar in the 12th minute and Toni Payne struck the post for the Blue Devils in the 31st minute, but seconds before the break, Morgan Conklin picked up a loose ball in the attacking third and floated a cross in front of goal that Yensen met in stride with her head and buried to the near post.

“I think the whole game completely changed with that goal with 13 seconds left,” said Duke head coach Robbie Church.  “I thought we were playing really well.

Mayrose doubled the Hokies' lead in the 65th minute when she took a through ball from senior Taylor Antolino and needed only one touch from six yards to put the Hokies up 2-0.

Duke piled on the pressure in a search of a goal but after successive stops by goalkeeper Dayle Colpitts off Blue Devil corner kicks, Reeves used her speed to beat the last of the Blue Devil defenders and finished the one-on-one chance to the far post.

“The first half tonight was very even,” Adair said. “Duke had a couple chances hit the post and Dayle made some saves for us, but for us to weather the storm, score a key goal before halftime and then keep the pressure on them throughout the second half was tremendous. I’m proud of the seniors in their last match at Thompson Field and I’m extremely proud of this team.”

For the second straight year, Duke concluded its season with a loss in the NCAA quarterfinals. Its deep senior class, which went to the College Cup in 2011, finished with a 57-27-13 record over the last four years.

Nov. 29 in Blacksburg, Va.
Virginia Tech 3 Duke 0. Goals: Yensen (Conklin) 45, Mayrose (Antolino) 65, Reeves 82.
Virginia Tech -- Colpitts, Zelensky, King, Antolino, Coburn, Yensen, Loupee, Meier, Cephers, Reeves, Tiernan. Subs: Stutts, Mayrose, Zoepfl, Manning, Conklin, Young.
Duke -- Thomas, Anasi, Raben, Pathman, Gibbons, Kerr, Payne, Wilson, Cobb, Weinberg, DeCesare. Subs: Quinn, Trees, Rape, Sikora, Allen, Duhl.
Att.: 1,282.