After 120 minutes of goalless soccer between two unbeaten teams, the USL W Eastern Conference Final would be decided on penalty kicks.
Following a semifinal that was filled with stellar saves by Duffy, the Blues goalkeeper picked up right where she left off, making yet another strong save in the 19th minute. Ivy Garner picked up the ball at midfield, on the left wing, and drive down the line, beating the Blues defense. As Garner approached the endline she crossed in a ball that bounced once before landing at Rylee Keeley’s feet. The striker took a first time shot from 10 yards out that was acrobatically pushed over the bar by Duffy.
Garner was easily the most threatening player for the Courage, causing havoc on the left wing all game, rarely giving Ava Schultz a chance to breath. However, Duffy would once again come to her defender’s aid, this time in the 28th minute. Garner found herself on the end of a lifted through ball, played in from the midfield by Lauren Montgomery. Garner drove into the box, one-on-one with Duffy but the Annapolis goalkeeper came up with yet another huge stop. As the striker attempted to go low at the near post, Duffy anticipated her going the opposite side and dove, but was able to still make the save with a trailing leg.
Hanna Phillips was substituted off in the 40th minute following an injury and was replaced by Courtney Corcoran. Duffy’s third save of the match came one minute later as she once again playing the spoiler to Garner. The winger’s attempted near post shot from nine yards out was strongly pushed away by a diving, mid-height save from the goalkeeper.
The first half saw Carolina Courage, the 2024 USL W League champions, come out the better of the two sides as it maintained 58% possession, holding Annapolis to just one shot on target.
Coming out of the half, Annapolis garnered five attacking corner kicks in the first five minutes, sparked on by a clear fire that had been lit during halftime.
Kelsey Smith received the ball on the left wing in the 52nd minute and swiftly cut inside, drove into the box, and then cut back to her left, leaving Kayleigh Herr grasping at thin air. Smith then laced a square pass that found Riley DeMartino just eight yards out from goal. DeMartino’s audacious backheel attempt was headed towards the bottom right corner when Courage goalkeeper Lauren Zitt made a last-minute save, keeping the match all tied up.
Duffy just didn’t stop and, once again, came up clutch in the 63rd minute. Gesare Omwenga received a threaded pass and was in behind the Blues’ back line, one-on-one with Duffy after receiving the ball in acres of space, 20 yards out from goal. The University of Oklahoma goalkeeper held her ground and, with cat-like reflexes, made an amazing one-handed save on Omwenga’s shot that was aimed to beat Duffy on the left. Garner tried to beat Duffy in the 75th minute after unleashing a near-post rocket, aimed for the top corner, but was denied by Duffy with a strong one-handed diving save.
The first yellow card of the match was awarded to Omwenga after she pulled back DeMartino on the left wing as the two were in a footrace, that DeMartino appeared to be winning.
Standing on her head all night long, Duffy came up with a last minute, stoppage time save to send the game into extra time. Omwenga was once again in on goal, this time on the left wing. She cut inside and unleashed a curling effort towards the back post that was met by the hands of Duffy at full extension.
Smith created the most promising extra time opportunity, however her one-one-one opportunity was saved and smothered by Zitt. Ultimately, neither side was able to break the deadlock. After 120 minutes of end-to-end action, the Eastern Conference championship would be decided by a penalty kick shootout.
Annapolis would shoot first, with Stephanie Lathrop stepping up first. Her shot went to the right side, mid-height and was saved by Zitt. Garner stepped up first for Carolina. Her shot had Duffy beat in the bottom left corner but hit the post and went out.
Corcoran stepped up to take the second spot kick for the Blues and quickly slotted her shot into the left side netting. Montgomery took the Courage’s next kick and beat Duffy with a nearly unstoppable finsih in the top left corner.
Smith, one of Annapolis’ most impactful players this season, sent her penalty kick over top of the goal, nowhere near the target. Lia Howard, looking to take the lead for Carolina, calmly slotted her penalty at a mid-height into the left side netting.
Sara Martin took the fourth penalty for Annapolis. Without a shadow of a doubt, Martin laced her penalty into the top left upright corner. Amelia Brown, defender for the Courage, stepped up and beat Duffy with finish to the left side of the net.
Keeping Annapolis alive, Zoe Vidaurre confidently placed her penalty in the top left corner. Looking to seal the deal, Keeley’s finish into the bottom left corner gave North Carolina the 4-3 penalty kick win, seeing the Courage advance to yet another USL W National Semifinal.
