The UNC men’s soccer team earned its first draw of the season Friday night, battling to a 1-1 tie with the No. 5 Duke Blue Devils in Durham. Duke had come into the match 4-0 on the year. This was their first non-win result.

Though the Tar Heels found themselves behind in the 10th minute of action, they struck back in the blink of an eye. Just 29 seconds after Duke’s shot found the back of the net, junior forward Akeim Clarke equalized off a perfect cross from teammate Hilli Goldhar.

Carolina was fortunate to not go down once again in the first half, as goalkeeper Andrew Cordes had to make three saves just in the first 45 minutes. All in all, Duke controlled play and outshot Carolina 10-4, but UNC’s defense held for the final 80 minutes of the match. It was particularly stingy in the second half, as the Blue Devils did not send a shot on goal in the period.

UNC tested the Duke goalie once more in the second half, but graduate defender Til Zinnhardt’s shot was saved. It was the only shot on goal for either side in the half.

The Tar Heels walk away from the match with a 3-2-1 overall record, though the team is still searching for its first win in conference play. Up next, Carolina will host UNC-Wilmington at Dorrance Field on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. before a tough stretch of consecutive ACC matchups with Notre Dame and Clemson. Both the Irish and Tigers made the College Cup last season, with Clemson taking home the championship.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Anthony Sorbellini

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
This Week in UNC Sports: October 12-18
More and more of UNC's winter sports are beginning their seasons as we hit the middle of October, and "crossover season" is upon us.
UNC Men's Soccer Scores 7 Goals in Historic Blowout Win vs. Notre Dame
After allowing the first goal of the match against Notre Dame Saturday night at Dorrance Field, UNC scored seven unanswered to romp past the Fighting Irish and win 7-1. It’s Carolina’s highest-scoring match since 2021 and its highest-scoring performance against an ACC team since 2000. FT | 7-1 Heels 🐏 The Tar Heels thumped Notre […]
UNC Men's Soccer Beats Boston College for 3rd Consecutive Win
Joschi Schelb recorded a brace within the match’s first 22 minutes to help UNC earn a 3-1 road win at Boston College Sunday afternoon. It’s the Tar Heels’ third consecutive win and first in ACC play this season. 3️⃣ on the trot for your Heels 👌 UNC wins their third straight with a comprehensive victory […]
UNC Men's Soccer Beats West Florida to Cap Dorrance Field Homestand
UNC controlled possession for much of the game and held West Florida to just two shots on target in a 2-0 win at Dorrance Field Wednesday night. It marked the first time this season the Tar Heels had won consecutive matches. FT | 2-0 Heels UNC handled West Florida behind goals from Faraji Ramani and […]
This Week in UNC Sports: September 21-27, 2026
This series of posts will be made weekly on Chapelboro with a full schedule of UNC sports contests, both in Chapel Hill and elsewhere. Note that game times and broadcast information are subject to change due to inclement weather or other factors. It’s a lighter week for UNC sports as we approach the end of […]
UNC Sports: Women's Soccer Wins; Men's Soccer, Field Hockey Both Lose
It was a busy weekend across the UNC sports spectrum, as both soccer teams and the field hockey team were in action late Saturday and early Sunday. The women’s soccer team continued its hot streak with a blowout win, while the men’s soccer and field hockey teams each suffered conference losses. The men’s team took […]
UNC Men's Soccer Shuts Out American at Dorrance Field
A dominant UNC effort held visiting American without a single shot on target in a 2-0 win at Dorrance Field Tuesday night. Job done ☑️ UNC dominates American and comes away with three points to improve to 2-1-3! The Heels are back in action Saturday night when we host No. 21 Clemson at 7 pm. […]
This Week in UNC Sports: September 14-20, 2026
The upcoming week offers several high-caliber matchups for multiple UNC teams both at home and on the road.
UNC Men's Soccer Earns Draw vs. No. 1 Stanford in Chapel Hill
Goals from UNC’s Ryan Zellefrow and Luca Nikolai helped the Tar Heels play to a 2-2 draw against No. 1 Stanford at Dorrance Field Friday night. Zellefrow’s goal in the 13th minute was Carolina’s first shot of the night. It came against the run of play, as Stanford had manufactured the first two chances of […]
UNC Soccer: Women Win at Arizona State, Men Draw at Cal
Both the UNC men’s and women’s soccer teams were playing out west Sunday. The women used a penalty kick goal to beat Arizona State 1-0 in Tempe, while the men battled to a 2-2 draw against Cal in Berkeley. On the women’s side, the Tar Heels and Sun Devils combined for just seven total shots […]
›