For 72 minutes, University of Miami soccer team withstood wave after wave of relentless Duke pressure, clinging on to a scoreless result against the No. 2 program in the country. But the Hurricanes were finally tempered late in the second half, as a Blue Devils breakthrough with 17 left to play proved to be decisive in a hard-fought 1-0 home defeat on Sunday afternoon.
With the loss, the ‘Canes have now dropped to 0-2 in ACC play since their conference opener on Wednesday, both coming against national heavyweights in Wake Forest and Duke, who each appeared in last year’s Final Four.
“I’m disappointed to not get any points from these first two ACC matches,” Miami head coach Ken Masuhr said postgame. “I am not one for moral victories, but to open the schedule with two Final Four teams from 2024 and make them earn every blade of grass throughout each match offered a lot of positive from our group.”
Duke asserted firm control over Miami from kickoff, setting the tone early by controlling the tempo and dictating play in and around the middle third. The Blue Devils’ midfield dominance facilitated a flurry of chances on the offensive side, bombarding UM’s back line and outshooting the Hurricanes 15-4 on the day, putting seven on goal.
Against the rhythm of play, the ‘Canes almost capitalized on a counter-attacking opportunity that would have seen them jump out to an early lead against the visiting side four minutes in. After regaining possession, Outside back Taylor Maxwell ventured quickly up the right channel in space before whipping in an angled cross towards the far post that forward Teegan Melenhorst was able to latch onto but couldn’t steer on target.
For the rest of the first half, Goalkeeper Emily Bredek found herself under siege, with Duke’s onslaught of attack calling her to action on four separate occasions. The Old Dominion transfer was unbreachable, registering four saves and going full stretch for a gravity-defying diving stop in the 31st minute to keep it level heading into the break.
In the second half, the pressure only intensified for the home side, with the visitors tightening their grip over the match and pinning Miami deeper into their own third, generating the first seven shots of the half.
The Blue Devils finally broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute, when freshman Lauren Martinho lofted a corner kick to the head of defender Cameron Roller, who redirected it inside the six-yard box. Forward Mia Minestrella arrived at the ball before substitute goalkeeper Atlee Olofson, scoring from point-blank range with the outside of her right foot. Minestrella’s team-high sixth goal of the season was the difference in the Blue Devils’ victory.
Duke nearly doubled their lead 10 minutes later, when freshman Jocelyn Travers surged into the penalty area and blasted an attempt top-shelf that clattered off the crossbar.
UM threatened to equalize with three shots in the final 10 minutes, but all were secured by goalkeeper Caroline Dysart as Duke held on to collect its fifth clean sheet on the season, prevailing over Miami for the eighth time in a row.
The Hurricanes (5-3-1, 0-2 ACC) will now hit the road for four consecutive games. Masuhr and his squad will aim to get back on track in their non-conference tilt against VCU on Thursday in Richmond, Va.