DURHAM, N
.C. – Scoring the go-ahead with less than five minutes on the clock, the Maryland Terps (15-6) pulled a stunning 3-2 upset over the #2 seed Duke Blue Devils (17-4) and punched their ticket to next week’s National Semi-final.
It looked like a different outcome might have been in store, because it took the Blue Devils just 76 seconds into the game to take the lead, when Junior F Rose Tynan’s unassisted goal made it into the cage and Duke had a 1-0 lead.
Maryland tied the score during the 23rd minute (22:40 mark) when a tip-in by Freshman M Kyler Greenwalt (with an assist from Sophomore M Madison Maguire) made it into the cage. The score would remain tied through the rest of the first half.
Duke would re-gain the lead in the 42nd minute (41:11 mark) when Senior F Ashley Kristen (assist from Senior F Ainsley Gill) spun and her shot from four-yards out made it past Terps Junior GK Sarah Holliday and into the cage, giving the Blue Devils a 2-1 advantage.
Maryland, though, would have the final say in this National Quarterfinal game.
During the 64th minute (63:24 mark), Maryland’s penalty corner resulted in a goal from Freshman D Bodil Keus (assits from Senior M Brooke Adler and Senior M Lein Holsboer) and the game was tied at 2-2 with just more than six minutes to play.
It took just another 110 seconds for Maryland to get it’s first and most important lead, when at the 65:14 mark of the 2nd half (4:46 left in the game) Junior F Linnea Gonzales (assist from Holsboer) scored a goal and the Terps went up for good at 3-2.
The Terps played solid defense for the final four minutes and pulled off the upset.
Their ticket is now punched to Louisville, Kentucky to the NCAA Division I Women’s Final Four, where it’s guaranteed that a B1G Ten school will play for the National Championship.
Maryland plays #3 seed Michigan Wolverines (21-2) in the second National Semi-Final game to be played on Friday, November 17th at 4:45 PM. Michigan defeated Maryland, 3-2, back on September 29th in a game played at Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The first National Semi-Final game at 2:00 PM pits #1 seed Connecticut Huskies (21-0) against the #4 seed North Carolina Tar Heels (18-4).
