CARY, N.C.— Just 12 minutes into the much-anticipated College Cup clash between No. 1-seed Duke and No. 2-seed North Carolina, a loud groan rose from the stands as graduate defender Nicky Chico committed a foul in her own box.
The Tar Heels got an early penalty.
As the sold-out crowd at WakeMed Soccer Park held its breath, Tar Heel junior Kate Faasse rocketed the ball into the top-right corner. There was nothing fifth year goalkeeper Leah Freeman could do, and the Blue Devils were already down 1-0. It was absolute anguish for the top team in the country.
“I think especially the early part of the match just did not look like who we were in play.” head coach Robbie Church said. “They started the game on the front foot, we chased the game early, and we were just two or three steps behind.”
They say all good things come to an end; No. 1 Duke’s historic fairytale season (18-3-1, 9-0-1 in the ACC) finally closed its curtains. A bitter 3-0 loss to archrivals North Carolina (21-5, 7-3 in the ACC) on a cold winter night meant Church ended his final season in an heartbreaking fashion. Leading his last team to this fourth Final Four appearances in his 24 years at the helm, the legendary Church will retire as the winningest coach in Duke’s history, falling just shy of 400 career wins.
“He develops a relationship with you that will last forever,” captain Maggie Graham said. “I just thought that he's gonna be there for me and every girl on the team.”
Despite the early setback, Duke persevered. After all, this was the first goal it conceded since the Blue Devils lost to North Carolina in the ACC Tournament Nov. 7. But another 10 minutes later, the speed of Tar Heel sophomore Olivia Thomas proved too much for the Dukes’ defense, who finished a one-on-one to double North Carolina’s lead.
Even though the Blue Devils outshot the Tar Heels 13-8 during the first half, it could not convert the chances and trailed 2-0 as both teams headed for the locker room. This was all thanks to the heroic saves by Tar Heel goalie Clare Gagne, who managed five saves in the first forty-five minutes of play alone. Duke’s 7-1 edge on corners was also not enough; the Blue Devils had the same amount of shots on target as the Tar Heels despite shooting more and scoring less.
“We didn’t do a great job in transition,” Church said. “We were far too off the pressure and they were able to play through us.”
The second half started in another frenzy of play, as Thomas sprinted down the right side of the field to attempt another look into the Duke defense. The Blue Devils responded by amassing a counter attack amidst cheers of “Let’s go Duke” from the stands. But it was ruled as offside. Just like another chance they had, minutes later.
It was simply not a night to enjoy for Church’s team. After pressing the Tar Heels, a floated-in cross found another white shirt in the Duke box. An easy close-range shot by North Carolina found the back of the net and the score was 3-0.
Duke needed a miracle, but time was running out fast. With less than 20 minutes left on the clock, the Blue Devils mounted a final desperate attack, trying to get into the Tar Heels’ final third as often as possible. The team showed passion and aggression, racking up 14 fouls in a heated contest against their Tobacco Road rivals. But it was all to no avail. Regardless of Duke’s relentless offense, North Carolina held fast to put an end to the Blue Devils’ dream season.
“It was a rough night, but I do want to say it is one game and we had a heck of a year,” Church said. “They worked so hard all year long.”
As the crescent moon began to set over the evening, the book closed on what could only be described as an amazing season and an incredible in the NCAA Tournament for the 2024 Duke team. From being ranked 24th during preseason, the Blue Devils defied all odds to being ranked top in the nation and breaking many program records along the way. Although this team’s story is indeed over, they can certainly be proud of the progress it made since last season. Their 6-7-3 record in 2023 is hardly comparable to the 18-3-1 record they have in 2024. Although it was a disappointing end to the season, it has been a remarkable year for the Blue Devils in Church's final season at the helm.
“This was an absolutely incredible journey. I love them to death,” Church said. “I could not have asked for a better year for my players.”
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