In a matchup of Top 5 teams, the No. 4 Duke Blue Devils sent the No. 2 Tar Heels to their first defeat of the season Friday night, a 1-0 loss in Chapel Hill.
Tar Heels outshoot the Blue Devils, but Duke nets the only goal in the 55th minute and holds on for the 1-0 victory. Carolina back in action Sept. 23 at home vs. Virginia Tech.#GoHeels @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/WtsbOrRAUR
— UNC Women's Soccer (@uncwomenssoccer) September 18, 2021
Tess Boade’s goal in the 59th minute proved to be the difference on the night, as the Devils made six saves to stave off any UNC comeback attempts. Carolina outshot Duke on the night, 15-9, but couldn’t find a way through Blue Devils keeper Ruthie Jones.
This is the first time head coach Anson Dorrance’s team has been shut out all season. The attack clearly missed the presence of freshman forward Emily Murphy, who is tied for the team lead in goals and leads the team in points. Murphy injured her ankle in practice earlier in the week, and there is no timetable for her return.
The loss is UNC’s first in an ACC regular season game since 2016. The Tar Heels had a 38-0-3 mark in that time span. They drop to 7-1 and 0-1 in conference, while Duke stays undefeated at 7-0.
Despite the loss, UNC fans packed the house at Dorrance Field. The sellout crowd of 5,301 is the fourth-largest home crowd in the history of UNC’s women’s soccer program.
Up next for Carolina is a home game against Virginia Tech, to be played September 23 at 7 p.m.
Featured image via Carolina Athletics
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