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Duke men's soccer looks to snap losing skid at Davidson

<p>After an electric start to the season, sophomore Jeremy Ebobisse has been held scoreless since Sept. 11, a streak he will look to snap Tuesday at Davidson.</p>

After an electric start to the season, sophomore Jeremy Ebobisse has been held scoreless since Sept. 11, a streak he will look to snap Tuesday at Davidson.

Duke’s three consecutive losses have all been against ranked teams, but its resume still lacks a signature win.

The Blue Devils can fix this problem Tuesday when they travel to play Davidson at Alumni Stadium at 7 p.m. in Davidson, N.C. Duke has been competitive during its current skid—holding then-No. 24 UNC Wilmington scoreless before a late-game meltdown and falling to then-No. 14 Clemson and then-No. 2 North Carolina on the road in a pair of one-goal contests—but it has not been able to make big plays down the stretch to come away with wins.

“We need to get over the hump,” Duke head coach John Kerr said. “We need to believe in ourselves and create our own luck to make sure that we are coming out on top in these games rather than coming close.”

Davidson defeated Duke  2-1 in overtime last season, so the Blue Devils will be looking for revenge. The Wildcats will not make it easy, though—they are ranked 28th in the RPI and have played a difficult schedule that will have them ready for Duke.

Davidson (3-3-2) returned from a West Coast trip last week, where it played No. 3 Stanford to a scoreless draw in regulation before losing in overtime. The Wildcats have also played ranked teams in Elon and California, matches that ended in lopsided defeats, and they have some momentum after defeating South Carolina-Upstate last weekend. The Wildcats are an experienced team led by senior forward Valerly Sviderskiy, who has three goals and an assist through seven games.

“They beat us last year, so we know them well and we know that they’re going to be very difficult to break down,” Kerr said. “I’d like to spread the field offensively and we need to use our assets, our athleticism and our ability to put pressure on the ball to make them cough it up earlier than they want to.”

The Blue Devils (4-3-1) have found themselves in early holes in their last two games. Against Clemson Sept. 18, the Tigers scored in the 12th minute to take the lead, and North Carolina notched its first goal of the game in the third minute Saturday. Duke will need to be hungry from the opening whistle to avoid a similar situation against the Wildcats. A more aggressive defense will be essential if the Blue Devils are to come home with a victory.

“We need to come out with more fire, put more pressure on the ball and create some havoc in the opposing team’s desire to build the ball at the back,” Kerr said. “If you allow them time to play, they will pick you apart.”

After falling behind in these matches, the Blue Devils have created numerous goal-scoring chances. Sophomore forward Jeremy Ebobisse and freshman Ciaran McKenna both had shots to equalize against Clemson when Duke trailed 2-1 in the second half, but were turned away by Clemson goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell. Ebobisse—the Blue Devils’ leading scorer this season with five goals—has been held scoreless since Duke played Virginia Sept. 11.

Against North Carolina, seniors Zach Mathers and Ryan Thompson both had shots down the stretch as Duke tried to rally from a 2-0 deficit, but could not mount a complete comeback in another 2-1 loss.

“We’re definitely dangerous in the final third, we just [have] to get that last pass right or be strong enough to be able to take a shot when needed,” Kerr said. “I think a little more hunger and aggression in that final area is going to do us a big favor.”

Tuesday’s matchup will be the Blue Devils’ third straight road contest, and Duke will need to match the Wildcats’ intensity on their home field. The Blue Devils are 0-2 away from home this season, and defeating a strong opponent like Davidson on the road would be an important confidence boost for the team as it approaches the rest of its conference schedule.

“We really need to embrace the opportunity rather than be fearful,” Kerr said. “I think our guys are ready.”

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