Duke Falls, 3-0, to No. 6 North Carolina

 

October 19, 2014

 

DURHAM, N.C. – Sixth-ranked North Carolina received three goals from its bench on the way to taking down the Duke women’s soccer team Sunday afternoon in Durham, N.C., at Koskinen Stadium in ACC action. 

 

With the loss, the Blue Devils drop to 7-7-1, 3-3-1 in ACC play, while the Tar Heels improved to 10-2-1, 7-0-0. 

 

“I thought there were some good things that happened out there,” said Duke head coach Robbie Church. “At times we did some really, really nice things.  We created some opportunities, but unfortunately we didn’t finish those opportunities.  We have to be a little tougher and have to have a mindset to play a full 90 minutes.  We had a good game plan and when we executed it we executed it really, really well.  When we made mistakes, they put them in the back of the net.”

 

The match started off very even as North Carolina opened with the first two shots of the contest, before Duke responded with two straight attempts from Christina Gibbons and Toni Payne.  Both shots for Duke were saved by Tar Heel keeper Lindsey Harris.

 

At the 26:23 mark, Duke fouled North Carolina outside the box on the right side of the pitch giving the Tar Heels a free kick.  Katie Bowen sent a feed to the head of Emily Bruder, who headed in her third goal of the season into the left corner of the net to put North Carolina ahead, 1-0.

 

Duke would come back to feature one of its best chances of the match in the 31^st minute.  Payne got behind the Tar Heel defense and found herself with a one-v-one against Harris.  As at North Carolina defenders came up behind Payne, her shot was blocked giving Duke one of two straight corner kicks. 

 

At the end of the first half, North Carolina held a 6-3 advantage in shots. 

 

The second stanza belonged to the Tar Heels as they outshot the Blue Devils 9-3 and tacked on two more goals to take the 3-0 victory. 

 

Bruder added her second tally of the match at the 56:19 mark on a free kick, assisted by Joanna Boyles and Paige Nielsen.  With Duke down 2-0, senior Kelly Cobb made an excellent run down the middle of the field and was able to beat Tar Heel keeper Bryane Heaberlin towards the right corner of the box, but her shot hit the right post from a tough angle. 

 

At the 74:44 mark, North Carolina added its third goal of the match as Alex Kimball tallied her first goal of the season off an assist from Bowen. 

 

The Tar Heels outshot Duke, 15-6, for the match as the Blue Devils were held to a season low shots. 

 

Redshirt junior Ali Kershner collected a season-high seven saves, while allowing two goals in 60 minutes.  Freshman EJ Proctor played the final 29 minutes allowing one goal for the Blue Devils. 

 

Duke will next host Virginia Thursday, Oct. 23 at 7:00 p.m., in the third of a four-match homestand. 

 

Notes:

• Duke has been shutout in four out of the last five matches.
• The Blue Devils will play their second straight top 10 ranked opponent Thursday.
• Duke is in the middle of a four-match homestand.

 

#GoDuke