LOUISVILLE, Ky. –Ayeisha McFerran tallied 18 saves and two stops in the shootout to lead third-seeded Louisville over No. 2 Duke, 3-2, as the Cardinals advance to the title game of the ACC Field Hockey Championship for the first time since joining the league.
After Duke tied the game with 25 seconds remaining in regulation, the two teams were unable to find the game winner in 30 minutes of extra time. In the shootout, Nicole Woods, Marisa Martin Pelegrina, Katie Walsh, and Minout Mink scored for the Cardinals and McFerran made two stops in the 4-3 shootout win.
McFerran, whose previous career high entering the game was 12 saves, tallied eight stops in the first half, one in the second half, and nine in overtime in the victory.
With the win, Louisville avenges a 5-0 loss to Duke earlier this season and will face North Carolina Sunday at 1 p.m. in the championship game.
After the Duke defense held Louisville without a shot for the first 32 minutes of the first half, the Cardinals opened the scoring on a penalty corner with just over a minute before halftime. Blue Devil goalkeeper Sammi Steele stopped the first attempt, but Martin Pelegrina batted in the rebound to give Louisville the lead.
Duke got on the scoreboard with 13 minutes remaining in the game. Alyssa Chillano fired in a shot from the top of the circle on a shorthanded penalty corner to tie the contest at 1-1.
Mink gave the Cardinals the lead right back four minutes later. Marigrace Ragsdale found Mink open in the middle of the circle who blasted in the shot for her 10
th goal of the season.
Duke pulled Steele in favor of a kicking back with three minutes left in the game. With time winding down, Ainsley Gill fired a low shot towards the cage and Ashley Kristen deflected it past McFerran for the equalizer with 25 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime.
In the extra time, both teams killed man-down situations and were unable to tally the game winner.
Duke will learn its postseason fate when the NCAA Tournament bracket is released on Sunday night at 10 p.m.