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    Olympics
    Saturday, April 27, 2024

    Stanford, Duke reach NCAA women's final

    Kennesaw, Ga. - Mollie Pathman scored two second-half goals and Duke beat Wake Forest 4-1 on Friday night to advance to the women's College Cup final.

    Reserve forward Molly Lester and Kaitlyn Kerr also scored for the Blue Devils (22-3-1), who will face top-ranked Stanford in Sunday's title game.

    Rachel Nuzzolese converted a free kick for Wake Forest (18-4-4), which hadn't allowed more than two goals in a game all season long.

    Nuzzolese's second-half goal got the Demon Deacons within one, but Duke responded two minutes later, taking advantage of a favorable call.

    Riley Ridgik was penalized while marking Kerr in the penalty box. Television replays indicated Ridgik was making a play on the ball before both players went down about 18 yards in front of the goal.

    Pathman's penalty kick - the first attempted by Duke all season, and the first allowed all season by Wake - gave the Blue Devils a 3-1 lead.

    Kerr, a sophomore midfielder, became Duke's leading scorer in NCAA action when she sealed the victory with her sixth tournament goal. She has five goals in the tournament this season.

    The Blue Devils and Cardinal are seeking their first national title in women's soccer.

    Stanford (24-0-1) advanced with a 3-0 win over Florida State, getting a goal and an assist from freshman Chioma Ubogagu.

    Florida State (18-7-1) controlled the action for much of the first 20-plus minutes, but Stanford grabbed control with an impressive stretch midway through the first half.

    Mariah Noqueria cleared an FSU corner kick with a strong header toward midfield in the 22nd minute. Obogagu won the ball for a breakaway, leading to all the offense Stanford would need.

    The direction of Noqueria's header might have been lucky, but the rest of the play was not.

    Obogagu beat FSU forward Tiffany McCarty to the ball, and her path to the goal was nearly clear once McCarty fell near midfield. The Seminoles had just one defender back, and Obogagu moved her off line with a pass to midfielder Teresa Noyola as she raced to catch up from the right flank.

    Seminoles midfielder Kristin Grubka caught up to the play, but had to slide to brake as Obogagu shifted to her right after taking the ball back from Noyola. Following a quick dribble, Obogagu fired between the legs - intentionally, she said - of FSU goalkeeper Kelsey Wys from 10 yards for her 10th goal.

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