Carolina Falls At Home To Duke For First Time Since '99

Friday, September 27

Chapel Hill

6 p.m.

North Carolina

4-1-2, 2-0

Duke

4-3-0, 0-2

Duke

UNC

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

September 27, 2019 | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score

CHAPEL HILL - In a classic Tobacco Road Rivalry matchup, No. 14 North Carolina fell to Duke 3-2 on Friday evening at the UNC Soccer & Lacrosse Stadium. The Blue Devils' victory in Chapel Hill was their first since 1999.

The Tar Heels commanded a 2-1 lead in the first half of the contest. The first of two goals for Carolina game in the 18th minute when junior Alex Rose earned his fifth goal of the 2019 campaign. Rose's goal was masterfully setup by two of his Tar Heel teammates. Senior Jeremy Kelly played a through ball to senior Jack Skahan, which drew the lone Duke defender to the right side of the pitch. Skahan noticed the advantage and placed the ball to Rose for the finish.

Senior Jelani Pieters recorded the second and final goal of the night for the Tar Heels in the 26th minute of the match. Pieters' third goal of the season came off a double-assist from junior Raul Aguilera and sophomore Milo Garvanian. Garvanian, who made his third appearance of the 2019 campaign, received a short pass from Aguilera and proceeded to lob the ball over a Duke defender, which set up Pieters for the goal.

The Blue Devils quickly answered with a goal of their own in the 27th minute. Duke junior, Daniel Wright, cut the score to 2-1 after he was assisted by senior Brandon Williamson.

The action on the pitch dwindled in the closing minutes of the half and the Tar Heels entered the locker room with a 2-1 lead. However, the Blue Devils led the first half in shots 6-4.

Building off of their explosive first half, the Tar Heels nearly earned a third goal in the 48th from freshman Sebastian Berhalter. What would have been his first goal of the season, Berhalter's blast was saved by junior keeper Will Pulisic.

Matching Carolina's high-tempo offense, the Blue Devils found an equalizing goal in the 58th minute from Williamson. On the receiving end this time, Willamson's blast in the upper center came from senior Daniele Proch.

Shortly thereafter, Duke's Scotty Taylor found himself in a favorable one-on-one situation against the UNC defense and goalie Alec Smir. Taylor rocketed a shot past Smir from outside the box, which gave the Blue Devils a 3-2 lead.

Despite Carolina's best efforts in the closing minutes, including a Pineda free kick that nailed the crossbar, it was not enough to tie the game. The Tar Heels record now sits at 4-2-2 and are 2-1-0 in the ACC.

The Tar Heels return to action Tuesday, Oct. 1, against UNCW in Chapel Hill.