Oct. 20, 2009

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Duke senior forward Elisabeth Redmond and  have been named Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Soccer Co-Players of the Week.

Redmond led Duke to two league victories, 4-0 vs. Miami, and 2-0 at Clemson. The win at Clemson broke a five-game road losing streak against the Tigers, as the Blue Devils had not won at Clemson since 1997. Last Thursday against Miami, Redmond scored the game-winning goal and assisted on the three other goals as the Blue Devils won, 4-0. On Sunday at Clemson, Redmond registered an assist on the game-winning goal as Duke posted a 2-0 victory. The Morristown, N.J., native now owns 32 career assists, which is second all-time at Duke, her 26 goals is seventh and her 85 points ranks fourth all-time on the Blue Devil charts. She is three points shy of third place.

McCarty had a hand in four of the five goals scored in fifth-ranked FSU’s 5-1 road victory over Clemson last Thursday. The sophomore forward set a career-high for points (6), while tying career-highs for goals (2) and assists (2). The two-goal performance marked her third of the season and sixth of her career. The Laurel, Md., native gave the Seminoles an early lead by scoring the game’s first goal just three minutes and 31 seconds in, finding the back of the net on a chip from 12 yards after a move inside the box that beat the Tiger goalkeeper. She provided the game-winning assist on a goal scored by Jessica Price in the 48th minute to give FSU a 2-0 lead. McCarty helped put the game away with another assist on a goal by Price in the 61st minute, followed by her second goal of the game in the 70th minute.

As the ACC regular season winds down, Thursday night features a marquee match between second-ranked North Carolina (12-1-1, 5-1) and fifth-ranked Florida State (11-2-1, 4-1-1) in Tallahassee. The Tar Heels sit atop the ACC standings with 15 points, while the Seminoles are tied for second with 13. The teams played to a 2-2 tie in last year’s meeting at Chapel Hill. UNC and FSU have finished one-two in ACC standings three of the previous six seasons (2003-08), and both have been among the top-three finishers each of those years.

With the top-five teams in the ACC standings all separated by three points (one win) or less, each game on the remaining schedule looms crucial. The top eight regular-season finishers will advance to the ACC Championship at Cary, N.C., on Nov. 4, 6 and 8.

Thursday night features another matchup of ranked teams as No. 5 Wake Forest (12-2-1, 4-1-1) plays host to No. 11 Virginia Tech (11-4, 4-2). Other Thursday action finds 8th-ranked Maryland (11-2-2, 3-2-2) traveling to Clemson (3-12, 0-7). Virginia (6-5-3, 1-4-1) travels to Duke (6-5-4, 2-2-2), while NC State (7-7-1, 2-5) travels to Miami (7-8. 2-4).

Sixth-ranked Boston College (12-2-1, 4-2-1) has Thursday night off before traveling to Clemson on Sunday.