After a narrow 1-0 win over Boston College last Thursday to take top spot in the ACC, the Blue Devils look to protect their position as they travel the short distance to rival North Carolina.
With the stakes raised and only four matches to go in the season, No. 3 Duke (13-1-1, 5-0-1 in the ACC) will need to play at its best level to avoid an upset to the No. 10 Tar Heels (9-2-0, 4-1-0).
“[North Carolina] every year is a big game,” Duke head coach Robbie Church said. “It’s really special, especially [with] how dominant they’ve been.”
This will be an unusual occasion in the rivalry’s recent history, as it is the first time since 2007 that the Tar Heels have played a home conference game as the lower-ranked team.
Despite that, Church still sees North Carolina as a very dangerous opponent.
“They’re still pretty good,” Church said. “The two games they lost they easily could’ve won.... They could easily be undefeated right now.”
Contrasting this, Duke’s success so far this season has propelled them up to third in the nation, the highest ranking the team has ever held.
“We’re flattered and we’re honored to be ranked third,” Church said. “But we can be better.”
Looking at statistics alone, it is hard to see how Duke could improve. The Blue Devils have scored a total of 31 goals in 15 games this season, fourth-most in the conference. More impressively, Duke has only conceded a total of five goals, and none in the last five games.
Goalkeeper Tara Campbell, reigning ACC co-player of the week, anchors the defense. She has recorded a school single-season record ten shutouts already this season.
The Blue Devil defense will be tested by a North Carolina attack featuring forwards Kealia Ohai, Crystal Dunn and Courtney Jones, which has produced as many goals as Duke in four fewer games. The team’s average of almost three scores per contest leads the ACC.
Church also singled out Amber Brooks in the midfield as a player Duke will need to stop.
“She is very, very good,” Church said. “She has a skill set that’ll cause us problems.”
Duke, however, has many weapons of its own, including freshman striker Kelly Cobb, who has scored a team-leading eight goals this season. Laura Weinberg and Kaitlyn Kerr have also chipped in five goals each, including Kerr’s game-winner against Boston College last week.
The Blue Devils have only mustered two goals in their last three games, though, and will need their forwards to fire on all cylinders to record their third-ever win over the Tar Heels, and first since 2005.
“This is only worth three points,” Church said. “This can’t win us the ACC regular season… it can’t win us the national championship.”
It could, however, give the Blue Devils the inside track to their second-ever regular season conference championship.
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