NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion women’s soccer fell to Duke, 2-1 at home on Thursday evening at the ODU Soccer Stadium in front of a crowd of 969 fans at the ODU Soccer Complex.
“We put in our best performance of the season tonight,” said ODU head coach Will Roberts. “The girls did everything we asked and more, I’m so proud of them. I feel as though that game showed us all how good we can be together. Results haven’t gone our way, but we take responsibility for that. I feel as though this group now believes in what we’re building and is ready to push forward.”
ODU (1-4) held a 1-0 lead for 16 minutes of action, but Duke’s (4-0-1) leading goalscorer Mia Ministrella knotted the game, 1-1 off assists from Avery Oder and Phoebe Goldwaithe. The Blue Devils continued to put the pressure on the Monarchs and were able to score with only 113 seconds remaining to take the lead, 2-1.
The Silver and Blue found the opening goal of the game in the 68th minute. Riley Mullen was on the receiving end of an assist by Reese Kulha, Kulha lofted a through ball across the field and Mullen was able to outpace her defender and slot the ball into the bottom left corner past Duke's Molly Vapenski giving ODU a 1-0 lead.
The Monarchs and the Blue Devils went into the halftime break even at 0-0. Old Dominion for a large swathe of the half were made to suffer and defend their own box from threats. Duke was able to take 10 shots in the opening stanza and had three attempts on target.
The Monarchs finished the first half with four shots and one shot on goal. Ashlynn Kulha had ODU’s first attempt that wasn’t blocked in the 12th minute from a corner kick delivery by Ally Richardson. Kulha rose high enough to make contact, but her accuracy was off the mark.
Sydney Somers registered ODU’s lone shot on target from another corner kick attempt and delivery by Richardson in the 28th minute but Vapenski was in a good position to reign in the header. Mullen had an attempt go off target in the 32nd for ODU’s last chance of the first half.
Mullen had ODU’s first chance of the second half in the 59th, but her shot flew too high and wide. Reese Kulha had ODU’s next chance in the 64th but it also went too high and wide. Old Dominion’s next chance was its opening goal in the 68th.
“Overall, this was such a good test for us, I love everything about them (Duke), they do things the right way and it was always going to be a difficult game,” said Roberts. “But we were here, the fans showed out, it was unbelievable. The girls, to give credit to them, did everything we wanted them to do. I feel devastated for them. We went for the win in the end and got counter-attacked off a set piece. I told the girls afterwards that I took full blame for that, but I would do it again and again. I’m always going to be a coach that wants to go on to win games, especially when we’re at home like this.”
ODU ended the game with eight shots and two shots on target. Duke finished with 21 shots and six shots on goal. The Blue Devils held a +7 advantage in corner kicks taken. Mullen, Ashlynn Kulha, and Sydney Somers all played 90 minutes in the outfield.
Old Dominion’s Emily Earles made her second start in net for Old Dominion and made five saves in 90 minutes in net. Duke’s Vapenski played 90 minutes and made one save in the winning effort.
UP NEXT:
ODU faces Maryland in College Park on Thursday, September 3 at 7 p.m.