Duke scored twice on penalty kicks in the first six minutes of the second half, and the No. 6 Blue Devils defeated No. 13 Arkansas 3-1 in the season opener for both teams Thursday in Durham, N.C.
Tess Boade scored on a penalty kick in the 49th minute and Mackenzie Pluck added a goal in the 51st minute to give Duke command in a game that was tied 1-1 at halftime. Boade’s goal to the left side and Pluck’s goal to the right were to the opposite side of Arkansas goalkeeper Hannah Warner’s movement.
Both penalty kicks were the result of takedowns of Pluck inside the box. Arkansas was whistled for 16 fouls and was issued five yellow cards.
Duke scored its three goals over a 12-minute span beginning late in the first half. The Blue Devils tied the game 1-1 in the 39th minute on Michelle Cooper’s straight-away goal from outside the 18-yard box that went past the diving Warner.
Warner allowed all three Duke goals, but also made seven saves. Among Warner’s highlights were two deflections of shots over the crossbar and a finger-tip deflection to divert another shot off the post.
The Blue Devils out-shot the Razorbacks 19-3, including 10-2 on goal. Duke also outnumbered Arkansas 10-1 on corner kicks.
The Razorbacks took a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute when Parker Goins rebounded a deflection in front of the goal and sent it past Duke goalkeeper Ruthie Jones. Goins’ 30th career goal tied Ashleigh Ellenwood for fourth most in program history.
Thursday’s game was Arkansas’ first action since a 5-0 exhibition victory over Arkansas-Little Rock on Aug. 8. Duke won a pair of exhibitions over Georgia (2-0) and at No. 7 Clemson (3-1) in the nine days prior to the opening game.
The Razorbacks are scheduled to play again Sunday at No. 3 North Carolina at noon Central.