Cobb’s shootout goal lifts Duke past DesJarlais, Arkansas in NCAAs
Kelly Cobb of Chugiak kicked another team to the curb at the NCAA Tournament.
The Duke striker scored her second shootout game-winner in the last three playoff games, this time beating Arkansas and fellow Alaskan Yvonne DesJarlais of Anchorage.
The two Alaska players – seen pictured below, DesJarlais [left] and Cobb [middle] – played on the same club team as teenagers in Alaska and they started at forward opposite each other in this NCAA playoff game in Durham, N.C.
Cobb, of Chugiak High fame, clinched a 5-3 shootout victory following a 2-2 tie after regulation to propel unranked Duke into the national quarterfinals for the third time in her career.
She has a knack for scoring big goals with seven game winners in her career to go with two shootout winners in the last two weeks.
Cobb welcomes the pressure of a shootout. Lots of players dread it, but she loves it.
“I’m blessed to be the last one to take it,” she told the Duke website. “I was lucky enough to put it away.”
Her winning kick moved Duke [9-8-6] into the elite eight, a remarkable accomplishment given this team endured an 0-4-2 skid in September and failed to win a game at the ACC Tournament.
Yet the Blue Devils find themselves in the mix, thanks to Cobb’s right foot. They will face fourth-ranked Virginia Tech Friday.
For DesJarlais, the loss ended her college career.
The versatile senior played midfield and forward and finished with six goals and three assists in 76 games.
DesJarlais, of Service High fame, had her finest season this year as she set career highs in games [24], goals [4] and assists [2].