This contributed to the importance of the annual series in the eyes of supporters and sparse southern recruiting. With this context, the present national powers struggled for much of their early existence against established programs like Maryland and Virginia. The Tar Heels would build momentum in the 1970s, appearing in their first NCAA tournament in 1976, their first Final Four in 1980, and claiming their first national title in 1981. Duke struggled during this same period, at one point going winless in conference play for 10 straight years, compiling an 0–35 mark. The Blue Devils did not fare much better against a newly dominant Tar Heels program. North Carolina won a series-record 19 consecutive victories, spanning the late 1960s, entire decade of the 1970s, and the mid-1980s. The last Carolina triumph in this streak was an overtime victory in 1986 before Duke ended the drought with a one goal win the next year. However, after this rare loss, Carolina would take the next 11 meetings, with only two games decided by three or fewer goals. Mike Pressler would change the course of the rivalry and launch Duke's current status as a national power. After losing his first seven matchups, Pressler's Blue Devils downed UNC in a 14–6 display in the 1995 ACC tournament. Duke would earn the league tournament title and proceed to its third-ever NCAA postseason appearance. However, Duke had yet to advance past the quarterfinals on the national stage. That 1995 meeting would mark the turning point in the rivalry, as the Blue Devils won eight of the next ten games. On the national stage, Duke would reach the Final Four in 1997 before the rivals met for their first NCAA postseason meeting the next year. #7 Duke downed the Heels 16–14 before falling in the quarters to eventual national champion Princeton. After the '98 season, Carolina would experience a downturn as the Blue Devils took the reign as the predominant team in the South. Coupled with a coaching change, UNC made just two tournament appearances between 1999 and 2006 shortly after their streak of 17 consecutive appearances had ended in 1996. Carolina would take three straight meetings from 2002 to 2004, but Duke would engineer in a season sweep in its 2005 national runner-up season. That sweep would portend further dominance from the Blue Devils, as they defeated UNC 11 straight times. This period often included rematches in the ACC tournament and twice during the NCAA postseason. In 2007, Duke advanced to the Final Four by defeating the Heels for the third time that season, pulling away from Carolina by a score of 19 to 11.