No. 2 Duke Falls on the Road at No. 5 Virginia in ACC Opener

Thursday, September 11

Charlottesville, VA

7 p.m.

Duke University

5-1-1, 0-1-0

Virginia

6-0-1, 1-0-0

Duke

Virginia

Photo by: Peter Raider, Duke Athletics

No. 2 Duke Falls on the Road at No. 5 Virginia in ACC Opener

9/11/2025 10:13:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Kieran Hall Interview

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Fifth-ranked Virginia registered a pair of goals in the first 10:22 of the match and the second-ranked Duke women's soccer team couldn't equalize as the Blue Devils dropped a 3-1 decision on the road in their ACC opener Thursday evening in Charlottesville.

Duke was able to cut into the lead, 2-1, in the first half, but allowed an early goal in the second. The Blue Devils suffered their first loss of the season, dropping to 5-1-1, 0-1-0 in the ACC. Virginia improved to 6-0-1, 1-0-0.

How It Happened

Virginia got on the board 3:45 into the match as Kiki Maki served a ball out of the box where Meredith McDermott headed it towards the Blue Devil goal from just past midfield.Lila Godfrey was able to beat the Duke defense to the ball and finished a one-v-one chance with Blue Devil goalkeeper Caroline Dysart to take a 1-0 lead.
The Cavaliers added a second goal at the 10:20 mark to go ahead 2-0 as Ella Carter blasted a left-footed attempt into the top left corner from long distance.
Duke was limited without a shot until the 23:52 mark as redshirt junior Kat Rader had an attempt that was saved.
The Blue Devils started to make a push on offense and were able to cut into the Cavalier lead, 2-1, in the 28th minute.Freshman Daya King sent a long pass down to Rader, who drove in and placed a perfect ball to a streaking junior Mia Minestrella.A product of Redondo Beach, Calif., Minestrella one-timed a left-footed attempt into right corner past a diving Virginia goalkeeper.
In the 30th minute, Duke had a couple of chances that were blocked and saved, respectively, by senior Farrah Walters and junior Mia Oliaro.
Duke attempted six of its seven shots over the final 17:02 of the first half.Virginia held an 8-7 advantage in shots at the end of the first 45 minutes.
The Cavaliers doubled its lead, 3-1, at the 48:08 mark as Laney Rouse headed in a long-distance attempt into the top right corner.
The Blue Devils added a couple of shots, but both went wide by junior Madison Foxhoven and Rader.Minestrella then tried to get some space and fired a shot that was blocked.
Duke finished the match with an 18-15 shot advantage.

Notes

The Blue Devils trailed at the half for the first time this season, 2-1.
The 15 shots by Virginia were the most Duke has allowed this year, along with the three goals scored.
Rookie Daya King totaled her first collegiate assist on Duke's goal in the first half.
Mia Minestrella collected her tied for team-best fifth goal of the season and 17th of her career.
Kat Rader notched an assist in her fifth match in a row and now owns a team-best seven on the year.
Caroline Dysart finished the night with a career-high six saves.

Quotes

"Virginia came out with good energy and caught us off guard. Obviously, when you concede early in a game like that against a team like this away from home, it is tough.It really set us back and we struggled to get a foothold in the game. Early in the second half we conceded a goal in a key moment of the game – really just dead the confidence and was a little sobering for sure." – Duke head coach Kieran Hall
"We started to be ourselves a little bit more and that was the difference. Once we sort of shook off the setback and the adversity we were dealing with – once we settled into the game we played some good stuff. That is the nature of the game at this level. We have to string together a full 90 minutes and if you don't perform in key moments of the game teams like this are going to punch you and that is what happened." – Duke head coach Kieran Hall on scoring the goal to cut into the lead and scoring opportunities

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