Rutgers Takes On Duke In First Round Of NCAA Tournament
Nov 11 | Women's Soccer
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Nov. 11, 2009) - The No. 12 Rutgers women's soccer team travels to South Carolina for the first round of the NCAA Tournament this Friday, Nov. 13 to take on Duke University at Eugene E. Stone III Stadium. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. ET. RU finished the season 13-3-4 overall with a 7-1-3 mark in conference play, while DU notched a 8-8-4 showing, tallying a 4-4-2 record in ACC action. After the Scarlet Knights' match against the Blue Devils, South Carolina and Davidson will face off at 7 p.m.
Friday's winners will play Sunday at 1 p.m. in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Stone Stadium. All matches will be streamed live through www.GamecocksOnline.com. Live stats will also be available through www.scarletknights.com. For postgame interviews, highlights and results, visit http://gamecocksonline.cstv.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/09-ncaa-tourn-central.html#.
Rutgers earns its sixth at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament - five berths under head coach Glenn Crooks. RU has appeared in the 'Big Dance' three of the last four years. All-time in the NCAA Tournament, Crooks and the Scarlet Knights are 4-3-3 (4-4-3 overall). In first round contests, Rutgers boasts a 3-0-1 record in the Crooks era, advancing all four years (3-1-1 overall).
In three games all-time against Duke, the Blue Devils have gotten the best of the Scarlet Knights. In 1990 and 1991, Rutgers fell at Duke - both times by scores of 2-1. The last time the two teams met - on Sept. 6, 1998 in Storrs, Conn. at the Connecticut Husky Classic - the Blue Devils upended the Scarlet Knights, 2-0. Crooks has never faced Duke in his tenure at Rutgers.
All-time against the ACC, Rutgers maintains an 18-25-4 record. The last time the Scarlet Knights played an ACC opponent was also in the NCAA Tournament - in 2006 against Boston College. RU tied the match, 0-0, failing to advance on penalty kicks, 4-2.
Although the two squads have not met since 1998, there will be many familiar faces on the field Friday night. Duke forward Callie Simpkins - who started during the preseason but tore her ACL - is the sister of Rutgers redshirt freshman goalkeeper Emmy Simpkins. Blue Devil defender Sara Murphy - a Mendham, N.J. native - played in front of Scarlet Knight goalkeeper Casey Rupon at the Pingry School.
Both Murphy and DU forward Elisabeth Redmond played for the PDA Wildcats and RU associate head coach Mike O'Neill. RU seniors Jen Anzivino, Erin Guthrie, and Gina DeMaio also played for the Wildcats, one of the premier youth soccer teams in the nation. The squad won the 2003 United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) National Championship, advancing to the USYSA Final in 2005 and 2006 and reaching the semifinals in 2004.
Duke maintained an 8-8-4 overall record this season, going 4-4-2 in ACC play. The Blue Devils finished eighth overall in the ACC, falling in the Quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament to the No. 1 seed Florida State, 2-0. The squad faced eight ranked teams this season, posting
a 1-5-2 record. The Blue Devils defeated then-No. 15/13 Virginia Tech. In neutral site games, Duke sits at 0-3 this season. RU and DU have no common opponents in 2009.
The Blue Devils are led by senior forward KayAnne Gummersall, who paces the team with 11 goals and four assists for 26 points this season. Senior Elisabeth Redmond leads the team in assists with 12, chipping in three goals. In net for Duke will be freshman Tara Campbell, who maintains a 6-7-4 record in 18 games played. The rookie has allowed 19 goals this season for a1.03 GAA, shutting out six opponents - including ties against No. 9/18Wake Forest and No. 5/5 Florida State.
In seven years, Duke head coach Robbie Church has lead the Blue Devils to 85 victories and seven-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including making runs to the Elite Eight in 2008 and 2007.
Senior goalkeeper Erin Guthrie (Sparta, N.J.) sits atop the BIG EAST in goals against average (.462). The BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year also came into the weekend ranked sixth in the NCAA in goals against average. The keeper has allowed just nine goals all season. The netminder has 10 shutouts on the season, most notably against then ranked-No. 13 Penn State, the first time the Nittany Lions had been left scoreless in 2009, and BIG EAST foes Georgetown and NCAA Tournament participant St. John's.
As a team, the Scarlet Knights have 11 shutouts on the season -all but one in Guthrie's name. That statistic placed RU in a tie for 21st in the NCAA coming into the weekend.
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