Final Four Bound: Women's Soccer Defeats Duke, 1-0

For the first time since 2005, the Penn State women's soccer team will be heading to the College Cup, the Final Four of collegiate soccer, after defeating Duke on Friday night at a windy Jeffrey Field by the score of 1-0.

Senior Christine Nairn scored the only goal of the game in the 14th minute after she was fouled in the penalty box. She put her penalty kick past Tara Campbell for the goal which proved to be the game-winner.

Penn State controlled the tempo for most of the first half, but had the tables turned around on them as Duke pelted shot after shot towards the Penn State goal in the second half. The Blue Devils outshot Penn State 19-7 in the game and put five shots on goal to Penn State's three. But after her gutsy performance during the shootout against Michigan on Sunday, goalkeeper Erin McNulty responded to every shot attempted against her, recording the team's tenth shutout of the season.

The Lady Lions will travel to San Diego for the College Cup next Friday where they will take on the top-seeded Florida State Seminoles. They defeated Notre Dame tonight by the score of 1-0. As of press time, the other side of the bracket had yet to be determined.

While this is Penn State's fourth trip to the College Cup, they have never made it to the national title game. Trips in 1999, 2002, and 2005 all ended in national semifinal losses. They will hope that history is not on their side one week from tonight.

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