Duke’s dominant 23-game regular-season undefeated streak, spanning nearly two years, came to an end following Friday’s 2-0 loss to Clemson. The Blue Zone takes a closer look at the moments behind the streak:
Where it began
The last time the Blue Devils dropped a regular season match was, similarly, against the Clemson Tigers Oct. 15, 2021. That hard-fought game featured a Duke equalizer with 42 seconds left in regulation to send the match to overtime. The Blue Devils were soon defeated, though, as the Tigers slid in the golden goal less than a minute into the overtime period to win the match 3-2.
As disappointing as the overtime loss to Clemson was, the match fostered experience in many young stars and taught valuable lessons that would carry Duke through its regular-season reign.
The Blue Devils’ starting lineup in their 2021 meeting with the Tigers shares only three players with this season’s meeting — Nick Pariano, Antino Lopez and Ruben Mesalles. Pariano, a sophomore in 2021, impressively facilitated the midfield against a stout Clemson roster, finishing with a shot on goal and an assist. Duke’s Peter Stroud, now an MLS midfielder for the New York Red Bulls, contributed to both goals, finishing with a goal and an assist. The Blue Devils walked off the pitch disappointed after falling to the Tigers, unaware of how long it would be before their regular-season loss would be replicated.
The journey
Duke played in several notable matches within the 23-game regular-season stretch, including a double-overtime tie against Notre Dame in 2021 and last season’s victory against a formidable Wake Forest.
The Blue Devils’ 2021 regular-season meeting with the then-20th-ranked Fighting Irish ended in a 1-1 tie following two extra periods. Duke would strike first, scoring in the seventh minute, before Notre Dame eventually tied the match in the second half. Both teams developed scoring opportunities throughout the overtime periods, but none of their chances landed in the back of the net.
Following the regular season, the Blue Devils met the Fighting Irish for the second time, this time playing for the 2021 ACC Championship. Duke was left scoreless, losing 2-0 and becoming that year’s ACC runner-up.
15 games into the streak, the Blue Devils were set to play then-No. 1 Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C., and a defeat seemed imminent. Still, Duke outscored its opponent 3-2 to keep the streak alive and conquer the top-ranked Demon Deacons. The impressive performance from the Blue Devils’ featured goals from three unique scorers to hand Wake Forest its first loss of the 2022 season.
The victory over the Demon Deacons represented a benchmark of the streak, displaying Duke’s confidence as the underdog in addition to its capacity for teamwork. The Blue Devils would continue their success throughout the rest of the 2022 season, completing the regular season undefeated and journeying to the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament.
The end — and a new beginning
Duke’s loss to Clemson Friday was not ideal: the Blue Devils were unable to capitalize on their opportunities and left Historic Riggs Field scoreless. And, despite outshooting the Tigers 13-9, Duke’s regular-season streak was broken.
Akin to their disappointing overtime loss in 2021, this result builds the experience essential for the Blue Devils to flourish during the remainder of the season. Time will tell if Duke’s loss to Clemson again sparks the ignition for another undefeated expedition.
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