Duke Women's Soccer 2024

We had chances to grind back into it

This was a game where having a healthy Walters could have paid dividends…neither Minestrella nor Lynch have the pace to be an effective forechecker. Carolina’s back line was shaky especially in the first half…we just could not create quality chances in the final third despite a high number of shots

Opponents have tried to isolate speed on Chico all season. Duke knew that was coming. However, you limit the issue with dominant midfield play. Tonight, we seemingly lost every 50/50 ball. Something that had not previously happened this season. Robbie spoke about this heading into halftime
 
UrinalCake said:
Disappointing end to what was a really enjoyable season. UNC has leveled up from their play earlier in the season, unfortunately it seems inevitable that they will take home the title. I only caught the second half (scored a last minute ticket and braved the freezing cold) but they matched our speed on the wings which was our strength all season and we never mounted a serious threat other than ambitious crosses into the box that didn't really have a chance.

This season really has been the soccer equivalent of 2022 men's basketball, right down to the heartbreaking final four loss to the CHeats. Hopefully Wake can pull some magic on Monday to take away some of the sting.
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Once Trinity Armstrong (who is 17 and won’t turn 18 until July) returned to UNC from her stint on the U-17 USWNT, they’ve been much better than earlier in the season.
 
gillmic said:
Once Trinity Armstrong (who is 17 and won’t turn 18 until July) returned to UNC from her stint on the U-17 USWNT, they’ve been much better than earlier in the season.
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For the record, Armstrong played the full 90 minutes in both losses to Duke. She missed the month of October much like Mary Long. Excellent player for sure, but she started all 20 games she played in.
 
Bike4Fun said:
I’m disappointed and sad at the outcome. But, I’ll always be a DWS fan.

Robbie Church press conference

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What a great guy he is. I'm sure Keiran Hall will be great, but I'll miss seeing Robbie Church over there on the Duke sideline. His heart is absolutely in the right place, and he is a class act. Thanks, Robbie!
 
Bike4Fun said:
I’m disappointed and sad at the outcome. But, I’ll always be a DWS fan.

Robbie Church press conference

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I’ve had time to let last night marinade in my brain. We just looked and played tight. They may have wanted it too much for Robbie. They were on the back foot for the only time this year.

A couple other post press conference thoughts

First, cumulative team GPA over 3.7??? I had no idea. That is honestly unreal. I know how hard it is to exceed a 3.0. That is just a WOW!!! Some future CEOs on the pitch.

Second, it is amazing how close the conference coaches are. I loved the story how Robby lent Tony De Luz his beach house and Tony accidentally flooded it. I also liked his praise for Damon Nahas. I personally know Anson…a bit pompous for me. Nahas seems like a grounded guy.
 
Just a dad of a player (she’s discussed a fair amount in these pages). I randomly found this board at some point and have followed along this year. I love the passion and love you have for Duke generally and this team specifically. That was a hard way to end the season but UNC played great. Sports are cruel but we are grateful to watch and these young women made a ton of memories they will carry with them.
 
Some Dad said:
Just a dad of a player (she’s discussed a fair amount in these pages). I randomly found this board at some point and have followed along this year. I love the passion and love you have for Duke generally and this team specifically. That was a hard way to end the season but UNC played great. Sports are cruel but we are grateful to watch and these young women made a ton of memories they will carry with them.
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Welcome Dad. Don't be a stranger. Please share with your daughter our congratulations for an outstanding and most enjoyable year.
 
While a 3.7 is impressive particularly while competing in Division 1 sports, grade inflation is rampant at Duke, especially post COVID. I am in the midst of recruiting at Duke, and after reviewing literally over 100 resumes, doubt I saw more than 5 that had less than 3.8 gpa.

When you charge 85k, I suspect the customer is more in charge now rather than back in the day. And Duke is not an outlier among its cohort of schools. Between grade inflation and lack of SAT requirement, very hard to distinguish among candidates.
 
The Vice Provost last September told The Chronicle that the average GPA at Duke was 3.5

Frank Blalark, associate vice provost and university registrar, argued that the high GPAs reported by the registrar’s office are not a result of so-called grade inflation, but rather a continuation of past excellence.

Analyses of grade inflation can be nuanced and challenging to describe,” Blalark wrote in an email to The Chronicle. “Historically, Duke has never had a high number of D or F grades. C grades have a statistic, but they are still outliers compared to A and B grades. Meaning, the overwhelming majority of grades for Duke undergraduates fall into the B- to A+ range, and our collective [cumulative] GPAs also oscillate around 3.500 +/-.”

www.dukechronicle.com

Duke students, faculty reflect on grade inflation post-COVID-19

Throughout eight years of publicly available data, several academic trends have persisted, including rising GPAs.
www.dukechronicle.com www.dukechronicle.com
 
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I will say this anecdotally

I was recently asked to provide some ancillary career guidance to two current fencers at Duke. Those two kids might be two of the smartest human beings I have ever encountered (and I’ve been involved with interviewing since the 1990s). I was absolutely blown away.
 
The loss is my fault.

I may have mentioned elsewhere that in the past 30 years or so, I'm pretty sure Duke's basketball teams have been outscored in the minutes I've watched.

Last night, I had a gig at a bar that was showing the game, so it was in my line of sight.

That's why they lost.

And if Anson pops up in another committee meeting with me sometime soon, I'll be sure to remind him of that.

(Unrelated: His wife was on the Duke faculty for years and years.)
 
King of Defense said:
And if Anson pops up in another committee meeting with me sometime soon, I'll be sure to remind him of that.

(Unrelated: His wife was on the Duke faculty for years and years.)
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TheTrain said:
Really??? I had no idea KoD

What was her name and what did she teach?
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Here's her Duke bio:

scholars.duke.edu

M Dorrance | Scholars@Duke Profile

Research profile and professional activities of M Dorrance
scholars.duke.edu

M’Liss Dorrance, former Associate Professor of the Practice, taught on faculty for the Duke University Dance Program from 1975-2007 where she served as co-director of the Duke Ballet Repertory Ensemble and as Director of Undergraduate Studies for a number of years.
 
chrishoke said:
Welcome Dad. Don't be a stranger. Please share with your daughter our congratulations for an outstanding and most enjoyable year.
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Last night was really special. Everyone wishes we had one more game - for Robbie and for the women leaving the collegiate pitch - but there were a lot of memories made. I hope it can be sustained. I think that even with the veteran players moving on, there is some solid firepower and the recruits will be terrific. Anyone know how Duke is expected to approach the new roster limits and scholarship allowances? Even if not a big NIL school, a full ride from Duke is enormous and if they are funding the full 28 scholarships, they can do that.
 
So th
TheTrain said:
But none of their players were a part of any of it
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So the fact that Unc, as a program , has lived in the College Cup the past 30 years has no bearing on the mind set of the players every year. They went into this game against a team they have pretty much dominated until this year in a setting that they have had massive success in. A setting Duke is rarely in. And they dominated the game on their way to what may end up as their 22nd National Championship. The game is more than physical and I’m sure you know that.
Congrats on a great year. I hate it fell short, but after losing to them two weeks ago, it was going to be an uphill battle.
 
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