Carlyle Cup action kicks off tonight with a bang, as No. 11 Duke (4-0-0, 1-0-0 ACC) travels to Chapel Hill to take on the No. 3 Tar Heels (3-0-1, 1-0-0) in a battle for early positioning in the ACC.
Action between the undefeated rivals kicks off at 7 p.m. at Fetzer Field in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels look for their fourth straight win against the Blue Devils, a mark which would tie their all-time best, set in 1954 and 1955. A victory for Duke would help it climb back toward evening the all-time series, which the Blue Devils currently trail 34-38-8.
UNC represents a heated rival, but the matchup with the Tar Heels also marks the first of Duke’s clashes with the ACC’s elite teams. North Carolina sits at No. 3 nationally, but Wake Forest is currently ranked second and Maryland fourth.
After watching UNC slip by N.C. State last weekend in front of a crowd of 4,221, the second-largest in Fetzer history, Duke head coach John Kerr knows that his team has hard work ahead.
“We are under no pretenses that it’s going to be easy at UNC,” Kerr said. “But we’re going to go out there not afraid to compete.”
However, Duke will have to stymie more than the raucous Carolina faithful in order to return home with a win. The Tar Heels return 17 players from last year’s national runner-up finish, and boast an overpowering offense that has netted an impressive three goals per game, ranking fifth in the nation.
Unlike other teams with one or two weapons, Kerr says his team is preparing to focus on up to five different players who have the ability to create scoring chances.
Leading the Tar Heels’ multi-pronged attack is midfielder Michael Farfan, who was named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week Monday and given ACC co-Player of the Week honors after he scored the game-winning goal against the Wolfpack.
Complementing him on the attack is senior striker Eddie Ababio, who Kerr says has been wreaking havoc recently in his minutes off the bench.
The Blue Devil defense, though, appears more than up to the task. Anchored by freshman goalie James Belshaw, who has yet to allow a goal in the two games he has started, the defense boasts a goals-against average of .24 per game, ranked eighth in the nation. The Tar Heel defense, anchored by seniors Zach Lloyd and Jordan Graye, is more suspect.
“Their weakest link is their defending,” Kerr said. “We’re going to have a real go at them.”
Junior midfielder Cole Grossman will lead the attack against the North Carolina back line. He has tallied three goals and three assists on the year, and has played a part in all but one of Duke’s goals.
He will be assisted by Co-ACC Player of the Week Daniel Tweed-Kent, who scored a heroic game-winning double-overtime goal at No. 16 Virginia last Friday. Also on the attack are senior midfielder Josh Bienenfeld and freshman striker Ryan Finley.
The Blue Devils have their work cut out for them Friday night, but Kerr has remained calm.
“We understand it’s going to be a battle in front of a big crowd and it’s not going to be easy, but we’re going to relish the moment and enjoy it and try to come out on top,” he said.
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