The national title contender that scored 12 goals in its first two games of the season did not show up to play Friday, as the Blue Devils looked out of sorts and walked off the field as victims of a stunning upset.
Arkansas defeated No. 2 Duke 2-1 Friday night at Razorback Field in Fayetteville, Ark., in front of what was a record-setting crowd for the Razorbacks on a rainy evening. Arkansas scored two goals in the first 49 minutes and by the time the Blue Devils found their footing in the 76th minute, the Razorbacks had enough of a lead to close out their first win against a top-10 team in program history.
"I don’t think we were as sharp as we are capable of being, I don’t think we made as good decisions as we were capable of," Duke head coach Robbie Church said. “We didn’t put enough balls on target. We didn’t make the goalkeeper work enough."
Down 1-0, the Blue Devils (2-1) pressed forward late in the first half in what was a microcosm of the game. Duke had no trouble getting the ball into the offensive half of the field, but the midfield—composed of five players in a 3-5-2 formation—could not penetrate the Razorback defense.
Duke sent passes into a box crowded with Blue Devils and Arkansas players time and again, only for the Razorbacks (3-0) to clear the ball out of danger. Arkansas flooded Duke’s offensive third with tight defense, and only three of the Blue Devils’ 12 shots were on goal.
After the Blue Devils dominated the first 15 minutes of the game, Arkansas scored off a set piece on its first shot on goal. Senior Alexandra Fischer took a throw-in that flew into the box, Duke's Ashton Miller whiffed on a clear attempt and the ball rolled right to an open Lindsey Mayo in the middle of the box. She struck it left and past Blue Devil goalkeeper E.J. Proctor for the goal.
“Unfortunately, I think we lost focus. The girl on the back post was open and we didn’t do a good job of closing her,” Church said. “For a team like this, they need that energy goal, and they got that energy goal, that belief goal with it too.”
The finish changed the tone of the game, as Arkansas started possessing the ball for longer and more frequent possessions. The deficit was also the first of the season for a Duke team that won its first game 9-1 and scored three goals in the first 15 minutes against Central Florida.
One of the best freshmen in the country doubled Arkansas' lead just after halftime in the 49th minute. On a counterattack, Stefani Doyle ripped a shot from the top of the box that sailed into the top right corner for her fourth goal of the year.
The two goals by Arkansas marked the first time Duke has allowed multiple goals in its last 15 games.
Defensively, the Blue Devils sorely missed senior Rebecca Quinn—who missed the preseason while playing with the Canadian national team in the Olympics and might play Sunday against Coastal Carolina. Duke also only played co-captain Lizzy Raben for 39 minutes, with the senior defender still recovering from a head injury suffered in the season opener last Friday against Wofford.
The Blue Devils broke through in the 76th minute thanks to a sensational half-volley from Olivia Erlbeck. The freshman scored off a play that began with a free kick from midfield and led to a loose ball at the top of the box. Erlbeck’s shot struck the inside part of the crossbar in the right corner of the goal, giving Duke life and the San Diego native her first career collegiate goal.
Erlbeck then had another chance a few minutes later, as the Blue Devils finally played with the tempo they were lacking for most of the game. But her shot sailed wide, ending the team’s last serious scoring threat.
“She’s capable of striking from distance," Church said. "“[The shot] just went wide of the goal."
The game comes as a wake-up call for a Duke team that is eyeing a return trip to the national championship. Arkansas only went 6-11-1 last year, but three of its returning defenders and returning goalkeeper played instrumental roles Friday night.
The Blue Devils will now turn their attention to Coastal Carolina, which will visit Koskinen Stadium Sunday at 7 p.m. in Duke's first home game of the regular season.
“You have to have short memories,” Church said. “We’ve got to turn around right now and get ready for Coastal Carolina Sunday night, because we can’t get down and compound this loss."
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