Duke women end soccer skid in Chapel Hill
Maybe Duke was just due.
Ten years plus one week after the last time the Blue Devils defeated North Carolina in women’s soccer, they marked the anniversary with a 1-0 victory Friday night at Fetzer Field.
Sophomore forward Imani Dorsey got the goal for Duke (8-4-4, 2-2-3 ACC), her second of the year, and airtight goalkeeping by sophomore EJ Proctor made it stand up. Proctor made four saves, all in the second half, and owned the goal area as she repeatedly picked off crosses by the Tar Heels.
It was the third straight loss for the seventh-ranked Tar Heels (11-3-1, 4-3), only the second time that’s happened in the 37-year history of their program. UNC had owned a 37-2-1 advantage in the series with Duke and had won the last 10 outings, dating to 2005. Ironically all of Duke’s success – three victories and a tie – came in Chapel Hill.
The first half was a tactical chess match, with both teams probing for weaknesses. UNC’s best scoring chance was a through ball in the 28th minute played from the top of the penalty area by Jessie Scarpa. However, Proctor beat UNC’s Katie Bowen to the ball and smothered it without a shot.
Duke responded four minutes later, with Toni Payne controlling a cross on the left side and laying off a pass to Kayla McCoy cutting toward the goal. But UNC goalkeeper Bryane Heaberlin made a diving grab of McCoy’s shot from 12 yards, one of her four saves in the half.
The Blue Devils, who outshot the Tar Heels 5-2 in the first half, kept up the pressure and finally found an opening. Sophomore midfielder Ashton Miller sent a long diagonal ball to sophomore Dorsey breaking into penalty area. Dorsey evaded her defender and beat Heaberlin with a high shot for her second goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.
It was the first goal scored by Duke against UNC since a 5-3 loss at Durham in 2010 and the first time the Blue Devils had owned a lead against the Tar Heels since a 2-1 victory here in 2005. It also marked the first time Duke has scored a first-half goal since a 1-1 tie against Boston College five games ago.
Duke very nearly doubled its lead in the 57th minute. McCoy gathered in a long ball and laid off a pass for Taylor Racioppi, whose drive from 16 yards caromed off the right post.
UNC outshot Duke 10-6 in the second half, but most of the shots were from long range. Annie Kingman had an open look from 21 yards in the 78th minute but sent it high over the net.
Duke entered the game ranked No. 27 according to TopDrawerSoccer.com and stands No. 20 in RPI, while UNC (11-2-1, 4-2) was No. 5 according to Soccer America and No. 7 in the NCSAA and TopDrawerSoccer.com polls, with an RPI ranking of No. 18.
UNC is 5-0 at home this season. Duke is 2-0 in Chapel Hill this season, beating Fresno State 5-0 and Weber State 4-0 in the Caroline Nike Classic to open the season. This is Duke’s final road match of the regular season. The Blue Devils conclude with three matches at home, beginning Thursday with Pittsburgh. UNC hosts Notre Dame on Thursday.
Duke, which has yielded only 11 goals this season and shares the ACC lead with 10 shutouts, has not allowed a goal in 301:52 minutes, three games ago against Virginia Tech. The 4-2 loss to the Hokies on Oct. 4 was the only game all season when Duke has allowed more than one goal. Duke gave up 23 goals last year and 35 in 2013. The school record for fewest goals allowed in a season is 13 (2011 and 2005).
This story was originally published October 16, 2015 at 9:12 PM with the headline "Duke women end soccer skid in Chapel Hill."