WINSTON-SALEM - For 90 minutes last night, the women's soccer team battled Wake Forest to a scoreless draw. It was only after time expired, however, that the action really started.
With just under 10 seconds to play in the second half, Wake cleared the ball from its defensive zone, sending it down the center of the field. Duke's defense, sensing the end of regulation, appeared to soften as Wake's Liz Burnette sent a pass to teammate Karli Schilling. Schilling appeared to get the ball as time expired, but she continued her run at Duke goalie Dana Piper.
Play continued with no clear signal from the referee, and Schilling looped a shot past the charging Piper into the back of Duke's net. Although the goal appeared to have been scored well after the end of regulation, the Demon Deacons charged the field and piled on top of Schilling in celebration. Duke head coach Bill Hempen argued vehemently as the referee allowed the celebration, but offered no clear decision on the goal.
After it became clear that the goal would be allowed, Hempen received a red card for punting the ball off of the field in disgust. It was Hempen's second red card of the season.
The Blue Devils, meanwhile, remained on the field dazed and dismayed. Complicating matters furtherfor Duke, the temporary scoreboard-in place because the game was being played on a practice field-never sounded its buzzer as time expired. Both sides were left to guess at when the game should have ended.
"Personally, I don't think it was a goal," junior Samantha Baggett said. "But obviously that is the referee's call."
Schilling's shot, by rule, should have crossed the goal line before the end of regulation in order to be an official score. Neither the referee nor the line judges offered an explanation of the ruling, staying only long enough to issue Hempen's ejection before leaving the field.
As the goal was declared official, the Demon Deacons resumed their celebration and the Blue Devils looked for help-but found none. Although the timekeeper and the official scorer declared the shot was late in crossing the line, the only judgment that mattered-that of the referee-stood in Wake's favor. The Blue Devils, still reeling, gathered their possessions for a long ride back to Durham.
"You hate to win or lose a game by a referees call; I would rather lose that game in overtime," Baggett said. "We had our chances, and we should have put it away a lot earlier."
Duke certainly did have its chances, but it could not put the ball in the net. After a slow first half offensively, the Blue Devils adjusted well in the second half and assaulted Demon Deacon goalie Jacki Ball with 16 shots on the night, 14 in the second half alone.
Ball was spectacular, however, making 11 saves, including two crucial stops with just nine minutes to play in the game. Ball first stopped Duke freshman Sherrill Kester's low shot with her feet, then recovered to save the rebounded shot from freshman Kim Daws. Ball also made a diving stab of a liner from Kester earlier in the half, as Duke's frustration began to mount.
Wake Forest out hustled Duke in the first half, winning loose balls and pressuring offensively. Schilling's bicycle kick just five minutes into the contest nearly put Wake ahead, ricocheting off the crossbar before bouncing away. The Demon Deacons outshot the Blue Devils 6-2 in the first stanza, but managed just two shots in the second-Schilling's game-winner being one of them.
"They played a good game, and we played a good game," Baggett said. "We had our opportunities, and we should never have let it come down to that."
The game was played on a small practice field adjacent to the Demon Deacon's future home, W. Denny Spry Stadium, which is still under construction. As a result, the scoreboard in use was a temporary one placed near one corner of the field. Its relatively obscure position, and the fact that the buzzer never sounded, made it difficult to determine whether Schilling's final shot was in time.
Hempen did not have any doubts. He immediately called out to the referee for confirmation that time had expired. None came, however, and the Blue Devils' astonishment turned to grief as the controversial goal became a landmark victory for the Demon Deacons, who remain undefeated at 8-0. The win was the first ever against Duke for a Wake team in only its third year of existence. Duke, meanwhile, fell to 3-4-1 (1-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play).
"There are no excuses," Baggett said of the shocking loss. "At this level, you have to be able to make the adjustments and do what it takes [to win]."
The sting will hardly have worn off when Duke returns to action tomorrow afternoon against Florida International in Greensboro. A game that should have lasted just 90 minutes will linger for what seems like an eternity.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.