GREENSBORO, N.C. - It wasn't exactly the way it's written up in the playbook, but the women's soccer team will gladly take it.
With just four and a half minutes left in sudden-death overtime and the game knotted at 1-1, freshman Mara Brain, racing down the right side, crossed the ball into the box. UNC-Greensboro defenseman Heather Bernard then kicked the ball towards her own goal while colliding with goalkeeper Paula Domitrovis. The ball dribbled into the net, giving Duke (4-4) a 2-1 win over the Spartans (5-4) last night at UNC-G Soccer Stadium.
"That's not at all [how it was planned]," Brain said. "We were just dead tired and I got the ball; I was just trying to cross it. I didn't even see what happened, but I guess they knocked it in."
Coach Bill Hempen also admitted that the game winner was not a part of his playbook.
"We were lucky," coach Bill Hempen said. "But this team deserves a little luck. It wasn't pretty, but we deserved the win-we played well."
Hempen said the Blue Devils deserved to win because they dominated ball possession for most of the game, outshooting UNC-G 11-2. Most of the game was played on the Spartans' side of the field, but Duke failed to convert on many scoring chances.
In the final minute and a half of regulation, Kristy Whelchel had two opportunities to break the 1-1 tie. In the 89th minute, Whelchel took a cross and fired a good shot towards net, only to see
"We really dominated ball possession," Brain said. "Last weekend was tough [when Duke lost its first two ACC games], but we came out tonight and really controlled the ball most of the game."
Duke's domination in time of possession was especially evident in the first half, and "just misses" were plentiful for the Blue Devils. Close calls included Emily Feeney having a shot hit the right post and an Eleia Branch header just missing wide left.
The Blue Devils did manage to convert one opportunity in the 16th minute when Sherrill Kester hit a high-arching shot into the left side of the net, giving Duke a 1-0 lead. It appeared as if Domitrovits did not think the ball had a chance, for she did not move to stop it until it was too late. The goal was Kester's second in as many games.
The Spartans were more aggressive in the second half, especially senior Ali Lord, who used her speed to get past Blue Devil defenders on numerous occasions. In the 53rd minute Lord sped by freshman Katie Heaps, creating a one-on-one against Duke keeper Isis Dallis. Dallis charged and managed to stop the shot and save a goal.
But Lord was not through for the night. Seven minutes later, she got past Heaps again and passed the ball right in front of Dallis to Jenny Moore. A diving Dallis could not stop the pass and Moore converted an easy chip shot to tie the game. It was UNC-G's second and final shot of the game, but it was good enough until the overtime period.
The fact that one goal was all it took to tie the game was a point of frustration for both Hempen and his team.
"Kim Daws came up to me and said, 'How can they have one shot and score a goal and we have so many chances and can't score?," Hempen said. "I don't know, soccer can be funny that way."
The win could not have come at a better time. Having lost three of its last four, including conference losses to unranked Maryland and No. 15 Virginia, Duke had been struggling to get shots recently.
Injuries have only made things worse, but for the first time in awhile, the Blue Devils seem to be getting healthier. This was Brain's first game back since injuring herself against Hartford 11 days ago. Stefanie Kraay came off crutches this week and should be ready to play this weekend. She'll likely be joined by defender Mariana Muiruri, who did not practice this week and missed last night's game.
"This was a big game for us," Hempen said. "The team showed confidence tonight, and it was a good healing game. We were able to heal ourselves both mentally and physically."
The Blue Devils will test their health, and their luck, again this weekend when they host the Duke adidas Soccer Classic.
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