DURHAM, N.C. — For Devin Lynch, this season has been nothing short of exhilarating. Not only has the team been thriving on the field, but for Lynch personally, it’s been a period of growth and fulfillment.
After coming off the bench early in the season, an injury to a teammate opened up an opportunity for her to step into a more prominent role — a moment she has seized with enthusiasm and confidence.
“I was trying to come in this season and just to make contributions to scoring goals and assists, and whether that was coming off the bench or starting that’s what I wanted to do,” Lynch explained. “It’s been a lot of fun being able to start and just kind of creating that confidence once that first goal was scored and the confidence kept going from there.”
Lynch’s breakout moment came in the Blue Devils’ home match against UNC Wilmington in late August. Lynch scored a 24-yard long-range shot that not only impressed her teammates and coaches but also reignited her passion for scoring goals.
33′ | AND DEVIN FOLLOWS WITH HER FIRST CAREER GOAL! ??
???? 3, UNCW 0 pic.twitter.com/rZkLoaNQtc
— Duke Women’s Soccer (@DukeWSOC) August 29, 2024
“Scoring that goal created my confidence — knowing I can hit those long-range shots. Now, when I get the ball outside the box, I’m more comfortable taking those chances. Seeing the ball hit the back of the net, especially when I scored for the first time, reignited my drive to be a goal scorer — something I didn’t feel as much during my freshman and sophomore years,” Lynch reflected on that in-game moment.
Before Duke, Lynch played as a goal-scoring attacking midfielder with her club team and had even spent time as a defensive midfielder on national teams.
Lynch’s hard work ethic was developed from an early age. Understanding the importance of pushing herself to get to the next level was crucial to continuing her soccer journey down the right path.
“Looking back to eighth grade, I had been invited to my first National Team camp, but I wasn’t invited back afterward. That was a turning point for me — I realized I needed to step up and take my game to the next level. So, I put in that extra effort, and by my freshman year, I got invited back to camps and kept going until COVID hit.”
Lynch emphasized that this factor caused a mindset shift that…
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