"For the Stanford seniors, this run is personal. They've made three straight College Cups but have yet to win one. "I think they would say it means everything," Stanford coach Pau; Ratcliffe said. "They've been through a couple College Cups but haven't won yet. This is the year they want to prove they are a championship team." Stanford is a three-time national champion (2011, 2017, 2019), tied for the third-most titles in NCAA history."
"Stanford has scored 21 goals through four NCAA Tournament wins, including three straight matches with at least five goals. Duke, meanwhile, has posted four consecutive clean sheets behind sophomore goalkeeper Caroline Dysart. "It makes for an intriguing match, for sure," Ratcliffe said. "A high-powered offense against a really good defensive unit. They're obviously limiting teams' opportunities, so when we do get chances, we're going to have to execute.""
"The contrast is stark. Stanford leads the nation with 4.13 goals per game and averages 23 shots, also a national best. Duke is outlasting opponents with disciplined defending and timely scoring from star forward Mia Minestrella, whose six NCAA Tournament goals lead the field. "It'll be harder to do against these top opponents," Ratcliffe said of maintaining Stanford's season-long attacking mentality. "But that's the key for us. We've got to keep going. We can't sit back and relax. If we can score"
Top-seeded Stanford (20-1-2) faces No. 2 Duke (17-4-1) in a College Cup semifinal in Kansas City, matching Stanford's prolific offense against Duke's stringent defense. Stanford leads the nation with 4.13 goals per game and averages 23 shots, and scored 21 goals in four NCAA Tournament wins, including three straight matches with at least five goals. Duke has four consecutive NCAA Tournament clean sheets behind sophomore goalkeeper Caroline Dysart and receives timely scoring from Mia Minestrella, who leads the tournament with six goals. Stanford seeks a fourth national title while Duke pursues its first championship.
Read at The Mercury News
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