University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Duke
Duke Halts Tar Heels Unbeaten Season
October 9, 2005 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 9, 2005
Chapel Hill, N.C. - For Duke junior Rebecca Moros, Sunday's ACC showdown between two-nationally ranked squads was a game worthy of remembering. For head coach Anson Dorrance and the top-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels, it was one they will hope to forget.
With just under three minutes left in the game, Moros received a long cross from teammate Jessica Seibert, took two dribbles, and flipped a shot over Carolina keep Aly Winget into the back of the net. The goal was Moros' second of the game and gave the Blue Devils a 2-1 victory, their first over the Tar Heels since October 19, 1994 and only the second win over Carolina in school history.
The Tar Heels controlled much of the game's first half, taking a considerable edge in possession and out shooting the Blue Devils, 10-2. Nevertheless, Duke still managed to make the first strike early in the 17th minute. Lauren Tippets took the Blue Devils first shot of the game which was blocked by Tar Heel defender Kendall Fletcher. Seibert settled the rebound, then fed Moros, who beat Winget with a shot into the lower right corner of the net for a 1-0 lead. The deficit was the Tar Heels first of the season.
The Tar Heels kept the pressure up after goal forcing Duke goalie Allsion Lipsher to make three big saves and narrowly missing when a Heather O'Reilly header bounced just wide of the post. Sophomore Jaime Gilbert finally broke through in the 42nd minute when she ripped a 25-yard shot past Lipsher. Gilbert was trailed by two defenders dribbling parallel to the net when she quickly turned and fired into the upper left corner of the net for her sixth goal of the year.
Competition stayed intense in the second half, with each team seeing a pair of scoring opportunities go awry. Duke had the half's first three shots, but saw two go high and wide while the third was blocked by the Tar Heel defense. Lindsay Tarpley and Lori Chalupny each nearly gave Carolina the lead but had a pair of shot sail just wide of the frame. Chalupny had another shot saved by Lipsher just six minutes before Moros' game-winner. The Tar Heels mounted one final charge, but Yael Averbuch's 35-yard free kick had a bit too much strength traveled over the Blue Devil net.
The two goals for Moros were her second and third of the season and also accounted for the first multi-goal game of her career. The Blue Devils had scored only three goals in four ACC games prior to Sunday.
For the Tar Heels it was an afternoon of firsts. It was the first regular season loss since falling 2-1 at NC State on October 10, 2002, a span of 41 regular season games. It was the first regular season loss at Fetzer Field since a 3-2 loss to Penn State during the Nike/Carolina Classic Sept. 12, 1999.
Duke earned a coveted full point in the 2005-06 Carlyle Cup standings. They currently lead the cup race 2.5 points to zero points
Sunday's pre-game ceremonies were highlighted by the appearance of several youth from the Carolina Dreams program. The program helped partner children who had recently stayed in UNC Hospitals with UNC Student-Athletes. Eleven Carolina Club children also joined the team for pre-game introductions.
The Tar Heels will travel to Massachusetts to try and rebound with their next ACC game against Boston College October 13. The Golden Eagles are 9-2-1 on the season and 3-2-1 in the ACC.
