UNC and Duke have played each other 36 times in women’s soccer.  The most important regular season match ever will be the one they play on Thursday night at Fetzer Field.  Here’s why….For decades, the outcome wasn’t in doubt (UNC would win) nor the principal reason for the result (superior talent).   Both “givens” are no longer guaranteed.    

If Thursday’s game was at a neutral field, UNC would be the underdog.  Duke is ranked #3 in the nation (the Heels are #10), has four superlative scorers (Kelly Cobb, Kaitlyn Kerr, Laura Weinberg, and Mollie Pathman), and a standout goalie (Tara Campbell, who notched her tenth shutout of the season last week in a 1-0 road victory over #5 Boston College).  
 
Now, if 5,000 plus Carolina supporters show up – as they did for UNC’s stellar 2-1 overtime win against Notre Dame – the Heels may pull out a win thanks to the energy home crowds can create.  And Carolina, of course, is not without weapons: the most versatile player on the field will be clad in light blue (Crystal Dunn), as will the fastest (Meg Morris), and the most aggressive offensive threats (Courtney Jones and Kealia Ohai).   And while Duke has a strong coaching staff (led by Robbie Church and former Carolina standout Carla Overbeck), UNC has the architect of the greatest college sports dynasty in America (Anson Dorrance, who has coached Carolina to the national title 21 times).
 
UNC soccer’s stellar communications director Dave Lohse aptly called last season’s game, which Carolina won 5-3, a “barnburner”.  With the teams returning to Chapel Hill for the 2011 edition of the rivalry, I think the final score could very well be 2-1 as has been the case with all four games played at Fetzer since 2004.  I don’t know who will be on top but, if its the Blue Devils, it won’t be an upset.  
 
One thing I’m certain of is that the only way to follow the game if you are not there in person (which you should be!) is to tune into WCHL’s live broadcast at 7 p.m. on 1360AM or www.chapelboro.com.
 
In the meantime, let me know who you think is going to win and why in the comment section below.
 
Related Stories
‹
DEAN SMITH'S SECRET FOR INT'L SUCCESS STILL WORKS
When it comes to winning international team sport competitions, Dean Smith unveiled the secret 35 years ago: Tarheels, lots of Tarheels. It is a strategy for success I wish the US Women’s National Soccer Team — with only two UNC alums on its 21 player roster — was utilizing in the 2011 World Cup that […]
Band of Three Seeks to Lead UNC to Soccer Title
Most women’s college soccer teams deploy a back line of four defenders, sometimes even five.  Not UNC.  There may be safety in numbers but, as far as Carolina is concerned, there are no national championships.  So as the Tar Heels (10-5-2) seek a 21st NCAA title beginning with today’s opening round game against Radford (14-2-4) in […]
What It's Like To Be So Close To A NCAA Women's Soccer Title
My name is Reilly Parker and I am a freshman on the UNC Women’s Soccer team.  We’re heading to the Final Four in beautiful San Diego, California this evening. I am a California native, so to get to go back to my home state to play in the College Cup is a dream come true. […]
Abuzz About Basketball?
It’s not unusual for Chapel Hill to be abuzz this time of year over several local sports teams. It is, however, weird that Carolina Basketball is not one of them. UNC field hockey played for yet another national championship two weeks ago, losing to Princeton 3-2. The Tar Heel men’s soccer team is a solid […]
Let's Fill Up Fetzer
That is how many Fetzer Field seats were filled the last time Florida State played UNC in women’s soccer in Chapel Hill.  The lack of fan support was a disappointment and may have contributed to the disappointing final score: Florida State 2 – UNC 1.   Fast forward eleven months to […]
A Baseball School?
About 20 years ago, when Dean Smith had caught his second wind and was again dominating the ACC and college basketball toward the end of his coaching career, he was asked about his sport overshadowing all others at UNC. “A basketball school?” Smith mused. “We’re a women’s soccer school.” Smith was giving well-deserved props to […]
UNC Greats Heath and O'Reilly, Plus Coach Dorrance, on 2011 Women's World Cup
The United States Women’s National Soccer Team is in the Triangle training for the 2011 World Cup which kicks off next month in Germany. Beyond the Headlines host Hampton Dellinger joined the team during its training session at Wake Med Soccer Complex in Cary. Former UNC greats Heather O’Reilly and Tobin Heath took time out […]
Athletes Speak Their Fears: Climate Change Threatens Their Sports and Their Health
Written by DORANY PINEDA and MICHAEL PHILLIS BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Pragnya Mohan has been a professional triathlete for nearly a decade, but summers in her native India are now so hot that she can’t train there anymore. She escaped the heat to train in the United Kingdom, but worries about a day when a warming world […]
New Statements Confirm Assault by U.S. Soccer Coach Gregg Berhalter While at UNC
A scandal within the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team has several UNC ties. USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter released a statement Tuesday which confirmed an incident between him and his wife, Rosalind Berhalter (nee Santana), when the two were students and dating at UNC in 1991. pic.twitter.com/421kvOoQBj — Gregg Berhalter (@GreggBerhalter_) January 3, 2023 “One […]
Stroman on Sports - Jack Del Rio Comments, NBA Finals, and More
Dr. Deborah Stroman spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell on Friday, June 10th.  She discussed comments by Jack Del Rio, the NBA Finals, and more.
›