Seldom, if ever, do you hear the Maryland Terrapins mentioned among the nation's soccer elite.
Despite playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference, which is often considered the country's top collegiate soccer league--sporting two-time defending National Champion Virginia on the men's side and seven-time defending Champ North Carolina on the women's side--Maryland has never been known for its soccer prowess.
But when the Terrapin men and women waddle into Duke Soccer Stadium to face the Blue Devils Sunday, they may show that it's time for that perception to change. Game time for the men is 2 p.m., while the women's matchup follows at 4 p.m.
"They've never been a team that's been easy to beat," Duke men's assistant coach David Smyth said. "Even though they're not a national powerhouse, they've never been considered a walkover by anyone in this conference."
The ninth-ranked Blue Devil men (6-2, 0-1 in the ACC) have owned Maryland of late--the Terps haven't defeated Duke since 1988. The Maryland men (2-5, 1-1 in the league) entered the 1993 season untouted and unranked.
Though the Terrapins pulled off an upset win over N.C. State last Sunday for their first conference win, they are coming off a disheartening 2-1 overtime loss to intra-state rival Towson State.
Duke, on the other hand, enters Sunday's game after a 2-1 overtime victory Sept. 22 over 1992 national semifinalist Davidson on the Wildcats' home turf. With the match against Maryland, the Blue Devils begin a long string of games against ACC and southern-region opponents--a crucial run toward earning a return trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Yet, according to Smyth, Sunday's game is all that matters right now.
"[Duke's] the game we're looking at," Smyth said. "To use an old cliche, we're just taking one game at a time. I think the guys will come back focused and ready to play."
For Duke's ninth-ranked women (5-1, O-0 in the ACC), facing the Terrapins is an equally formidable challenge. The Blue Devils downed Maryland 2-0 last year and though the Terps finished the season winless in the ACC, they do return nine starters from a team that registered a school-record 11 wins.
Their potent offense returns all of last year's goal scorers, including sophomore forward Kelly Amonte, whose 12 goals and 28 points in 1992 earned her a place in the Maryland record books and second-team All-America honors.
The defense features even more experience, led by senior sweeper Miriam Fagan and senior goalkeeper Cailin Mullins. Mullins is among the league leaders this year in both save percentage (.842) and average goals allowed (1.04). She has also registered a league-leading four shutouts in six games.
Third-year head coach April Heinrichs, herself a UNC graduate and captain of the U.S. National Team, has assembled a Terrapin team with potential, with its only loss thus far to top-ranked North Carolina. Maryland is a team that, according to Duke head coach Bill Hempen, could give the Blue Devils loads of trouble.
"Maryland has always been a struggle for us," Hempen said. "It's always a toss up kind of a game. Even though we went so far last year, they still feel we're in the same neighborhood as them, so they play a little harder, a little better against us than against other teams in the league."
Hempen's Blue Devils are also coming off a win at Davidson. Next week, they jump into the heart of the conference schedule against North Carolina in a rematch of last year's NCAA final. Yet for Hempen, the Tar Heels are still in the distant future and all that counts is the present.
All that counts is Maryland.
"I have the utmost respect for Maryland, and for their coach and for the players she brings into the program," Hempen said. "This is our first ACC game, and we want to get things off on the right foot."
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.