In a match that lasted 110 minutes — complete with double–overtime drama and enough hard hits to satisfy the football team — both North Carolina and Duke were left gasping for air by the final whistle.
The No. 5 Tar Heels faced a determined Duke squad Friday night in front of a record-breaking crowd at Fetzer Field, and it took everything they had to come out with a 2-2 tie.
“We wanted to win really bad — really, really bad,” junior midfielder Enzo Martinez said. “I know everyone on the field gave it everything they had, and we’re walking out of here with our heads held high. Two-two against Duke — they’re a good team.”
In the back-and-forth match, Duke scored first in the 15th minute. It didn’t take long for North Carolina to answer, though, as the Tar Heels netted an equalizer just before halftime.
Sophomore forward Robbie Lovejoy found redshirt junior and UNC leading scorer Billy Schuler streaking down the right side. Schuler got deep into the box and, instead of shooting, tried to cross the ball in front of the net to forward Ben Speas.
But before Speas could tap in the shot, Duke’s Riley Wolfe, who was attempting to clear the ball out of harm’s way, cut him off. Instead of saving a goal, Wolfe deflected the ball into the back of the net for an own goal.
And Schuler wasn’t done causing problems for the Blue Devils’ defense. He put North Carolina ahead in the match’s 75th minute with a blistering shot to the upper left-hand corner of the net.
Schuler was working hard at the top of UNC’s formation all night long and took a beating for it. He came out of the game shortly after scoring when a Duke defender stepped on his left ankle, but the forward didn’t let the injury keep him on the sidelines for long.
“There’s a lot of stuff that goes on that isn’t called for fouls — you know, the tugging, the pushing,” Schuler said. “I might get a play off, but I’m getting kicked at the same time. They don’t call it, but I’m not going to go down.”
