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No. 5 Seed Duke Tops No. 6 North Carolina in Penalty Kicks to Claim ACC Championship Nov. 13, 2005
Boxscore CARY, N.C. - Duke goalkeeper Justin Papadakis saved a pair of North Carolina shots in a shootout Sunday afternoon as the fifth-seeded Blue Devils won the Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Soccer Championship in penalty kicks, 5-4, after playing to a scoreless draw in regulation and a pair of overtime periods. Duke's Mike Grella netted the game-winner in the sudden death portion of the shootout, giving the Blue Devils their second ACC title, and first since 1999. The two sides were perfect through their first three attempts in the penalty kick phase, with North Carolina's Ted Odgers, Scott Campbell and Ben Hunter and Duke's Chris Loftus, Tomek Charowski and Zach Pope all burying their shots. After UNC's Michael Harrington converted his attempt, Duke's Kyle Helton curled his shot wide left, leaving the door open for the Tar Heels to take the win. But Papadakis came up with a huge save on North Carolina's next attempt, taken by Dax McCarty, keeping Duke alive. With the tournament title on the line, Duke's Blake Camp scored to the left side to even the score at 4-4. Now playing in sudden death penalty kicks, Papadakis made another crucial stop, this time stuffing the Tar Heels' Stephen Bickford. With Duke in position to claim the championship with a make, Grella did exactly that, putting his shot to the left side, while UNC keeper Ford Williams dove the other way. Neither squad could get much going offensively in regulation, combining for just six shots in the first half. Duke had its best scoring chance of the game in the 15th minute, when Michael Videira's header was punched away by UNC keeper Justin Hughes from point-blank range.
North Carolina's best chances in regulation came in the 50th minute, when Hunter's shot off a direct kick was saved by Papadakis. UNC's David Boole gathered the rebound and took a shot of his own, but Papadakis again made the stop to preserve the scoreless tie. Both teams seemed to pick up their offensive intensity in overtime, and both had legitimate scoring opportunities that just missed. Hunter sent a shot just wide from 25 yards out in the 92nd minute, and North Carolina's Brian Shriver had his header off a corner kick go just high. The sixth-seeded Tar Heels (15-3-3) had three corner kicks in less than a minute in the first overtime, but could not convert. Videira nearly ended the game for Duke in the 95th minute, but his shot from 18 yards out, which was curling in toward the far post, missed by just inches to keep the game scoreless. Hunter nearly connected with Corey Ashe for a score in the 97th minute, but Duke defenders Helton and Danny Miller broke up the play in the box. After North Carolina's Blake Beach picked up his second yellow card of the game in the 99th minute, the Tar Heels played a man down for the remaining 10:26. The disadvantage did not seem to adversely affect UNC, however, as the Tar Heels still had a pair of excellent scoring chances just miss. Hunter had his booming shot from 25 yards out deflect off a defender and sail just high, while Cameron Lewis had his shot saved by Papadakis in the 103rd minute. Duke had the final three scoring chances of the match, Pope missing by just inches on the far post, then sending another shot high. Grella also threatened to score near the end of the second overtime period, but after a series of nifty moves in the box, he put his shot wide right. With the win, Duke (12-4-3) becomes the lowest seed to ever win the ACC title, and earns the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Championship. The men's field of 48 for the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship will be announced on Monday, November 14 between 4 and 4:30 on ESPNews. Shootout - Duke wins on pks 5-4 2005 ACC All-Tournament Team: -ACC- |
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