“We wanted to bounce back with a strong performance,” said Davis. “All week the team worked so hard and put everything on the line to prepare for tonight and it all came together. I just love the guys, the coaches. There’s not a better feeling.”
Duke improves to 3-2-1 overall and 1-1-0 in ACC play with the victory, while North Carolina drops just its second game of the year to fall to 5-2-0 and 1-1-0. The two goals allowed by the Tar Heels are the most they’ve allowed this season and marks just the eighth time since 2011 they have allowed two goals in a game.
“First of all it was one heck of a soccer match,” said head coach John Kerr. “I’m really proud of our guys. They really had to keep their heads at halftime and come out in the second half and keep plugging away. I thought we did a great job in the first half as well.”
The victory also marks the first over a top-ranked squad under Kerr in three tries. The highest ranked opponent Duke had beaten under Kerr was No. 2 Maryland in 2009. It is the second victory for the Blue Devils over a No. 1 team in eight meetings this decade.
Moseley, leading the league in goals and points, continued his dream freshman season for the Blue Devils when he headed home a service from Davis. All even with less than 10 minutes to go, much like he had all game Davis calmly took a pass from Brody Huitema and served the ball into the box for Moseley. The native of Duluth, Ga.’s, knack for finding the back of the net shined through yet again as he got his head on the ball and past the inside post.
The Blue Devils, determined to get off to a fast start, held good possession in the early going. With Davis having command of the midfield, Duke was able to put pressure on the Tar Heels’ stalwart backline. Freshman defender Kevon Black got into the mix early offensively. Overlapping Moseley on the left side, Black served a great ball into the penalty area that skipped all the way across the box untouched.
As play started to settle down midway through the half, North Carolina created a few dangerous opportunities of its own. Tar Heel top scorer Andy Craven had a couple dangerous chances, but Duke’s defense led by junior Zach Mathers stymied the UNC attack.
The Tar Heels broke through in the 38th minute when Alex Olofson broke loose on the right side and served a ball back across the box to Tyler Engel who fired it home off the inside of the far post.
Sporting a 57-2-2 record when scoring the first goal dating back to 2010, North Carolina continued to attack with confidence in the second half for added cushion. The Tar Heels pressed forward, but quality defense from the Blue Devils and goalkeeper Joe Ohaus kept the top-ranked squad off the board.
In the 75th minute, Davis, with the ball at his feet 25 yards from goal, drew a foul to set up a free kick just over 25 yards out in the middle of the field. Davis and Nick Palodichuk lined up behind the ball, but it was Davis curling it over the wall and into the left side of the net with his right foot for the equalizer. The goal was his first of the season and eighth of his career.
“Remarkable,” Kerr said of Davis’ play. “I mean an absolutely phenomenal performance by someone who knows it’s his senior year and it might be his last chance to beat North Carolina. Without him we would have struggled. He was just dynamite.”
Duke, garnering energy from the raucous crowd at Koskinen, continued to fight and press forward and capitalized in the 81st minute. The Tar Heels were relentless in the final nine minutes, but Mathers and the Blue Devils stayed strong to come away with the massive victory.
“Unbelievable,” Davis said of the crowd. “Friends, family, students. The support was unbelievable. This is why you come to Duke. This is why you play college soccer. This environment is something I’ll never forget.”
Duke, while enjoying this win, quickly moves on to play at UNC Wilmington Tuesday evening, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m.
– News release