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RADFORD, Va. – The Big South Champion Radford women's soccer team is set to take on top-seeded / No. 3 Duke Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Koskinen Stadium in Durham, N.C.
The winner of the Radford/Duke contest will advance to the second round against the victor of the Kansas (11-8-1) and Georgia (12-6-2) contest.
Radford is making its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance and has matched up with an ACC opponent in four of those five contests (North Carolina State, 1985; North Carolina, 2002; Duke, 2008; Duke, 2011).
The last time Radford battled Duke was in the 2008 NCAA Tournament, when the Blue Devils were ranked 15th in the country.
Lisa Lubke (Columbus, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales), then a freshman, made 10 saves in the game and tallied her first career assist. Classmate
Maryellen Derenda (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) was also a part of that scoring play - her first collegiate assist, as well.
Recently on a goal-scoring tear, tournament MVP
Sahar Aflaki (Gainesville, Va./Battlefield) leads the Highlander attack, tallying nine goals, including eight in the last six games. In addition, seven goals have come from
Julie Ruh'e (Monrovia, Md./Urbana).
The defense has captured the attention of every opponent. Recording 12 shutouts, the most in program history, Big South Defensive Player of the Year anchors the backline, with
Sydney Golden (Lexington, Ky./Paul L. Dunbar),
Stephanie Herb (Fairfax Station, Va./Robinson Secondary) and
Megan Rhodes (Blacksburg, Va./Blacksburg).
SETTING THE STAGE
Entering Sunday's match at 17-3-1, Duke received an at-large invitational for the ninth straight year. Duke has four players in double-figure points with Kelly Cobb leading the club with 10 goals and 7 assists, including 6 game-winners. Duke's goalkeeper, Tara Campbell, has only allowed 8 goals all year and brings a 0.41 goals-against average into the match. In addition, the Blue Devils are coming off a loss to eventual ACC champion Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament semifinals.
HISTORICAL TIDBITS
-The 15 wins are the second most in program history.
-The 8 conference wins are the most in program history.
-Radford has compiled 12 shutouts, tied for the most in program history (12 – 1997).
-The Highlanders have a +24 goal differential, the seventh best in program history.
-Brown has a .882 save percentage, which ranks as the best single season percentage in program history.
-The .849 save percentage between Lubke and Brown is the fourth best mark in program history. In addition, the duo have combined for a 0.75 goals-against average, which ranks third.
