University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Duke
No. 9 Tar Heels Fall At No. 2 Duke, 1-0
October 20, 2006 | Men's Soccer
Oct. 20, 2006
DURHAM, N.C. - No. 9 North Carolina netted an own goal for the second time in the last three games and extended its winless streak to five in a 1-0 loss to No. 2 Duke Friday at Koskinen Stadium. The Tar Heels (10-5-2, 2-4-1 ACC) have been shut out in three straight games for the first time since 1982, the last time they went winless over a five-match stretch.
With the win, Duke extends its lead in the race towards the Carlyle Cup, the all-sports competition between the Tar Heels and Blue Devils, to 2.5-1.
The only score of the match came in the ninth minute when Carolina defender Ted Odgers redirected a Zach Pope cross into the back of the net for what proved to the be game-winner. Duke started its scoring chance with a corner kick from the right side that was tipped out by UNC keeper Justin Hughes to Pope on the left flank. He then sent the ball across the mouth of the goal, and Odgers defected it into the lower right side of the net in an attempt to clear the ball. The Tar Heels also scored an own goal in an Oct. 10 loss at Campbell.
Carolina outshot the Blue Devils (12-2-1, 5-1-1 ACC), 13-11 overall and 6-3 in the second half, but has not scored in its last 373 minutes of soccer. The Tar Heels are 0-3-2 over their last five matches but have outshot each opponent over this stretch.
Carolina put four shots on goal against the Blue Devils, including back-to-back chances from Ben Hunter and David Boole midway through the first half. Hunter had a solid strike from the 18 off a feed from Zach Loyd that was saved by Duke keeper Justin Papadakis.
In the second half, the Tar Heels held possession for much of the period and pressed for the equalizer toward the end of regulation. Following a free kick by Hunter, midfielder Garry Lewis misfired off a feed from Scott Campbell in the 77th minute for one of Carolina's best chances. The Tar Heels had a Corey Ashe corner and a Scott Campbell free kick in the 89th minutes and had a pair of shots blocked as Duke held on to shut out UNC for the third straight match dating to the start of last season.
The Tar Heels' five-match winless streak matches a program-worst stretch set in 1951 and matched in 1982. Carolina has also lost three straight games for the first time since 1997.
UNC looks to get back in the win column at Boston College in the regular season finale Oct. 26. The 2006 ACC Championship opens Oct. 31 in Germantown, Md.
