Attempting to bounce back from two tough losses this past weekend, the field hockey team realizes its schedule will get no easier as it prepares for this weekend's two difficult opponents.
This Saturday the Blue Devils (2-2) take on Harvard (1-1), an opponent they have never before faced. On Sunday they continue their road trip, taking on 14th-ranked Northeastern.
The team is coming off a tough weekend in which it dropped decisions to national powers William & Mary and Maryland. But the Blue Devils feel confident they can return to their winning ways of two weeks ago, when they easily disposed of Central Michigan and Appalachian State. Though the opponents were certainly tougher this past week, the players offer no excuses for their performance.
Senior goalkeeper Heather Moles feels Duke suffered from inconsistency the previous two games.
"William & Mary and Maryland are good teams," Moles said, "but we definitely should be able to compete against them."
The leading scorer on the team, sophomore Melissa Panasci, adds that perhaps the team wasn't ready for the stiff competition.
"This past weekend the teams were a lot harder," Panasci said. "We played well against Maryland--hard to the last minute. We're looking forward to playing them again."
Though William & Mary and Maryland are solid teams, Duke head coach Jacki Silar cautions that the schedule will not get any easier.
"Now we're into the meat of our schedule," Silar said. "Every team we play from here on out, except for a few, is ranked in the top 20."
That difficult schedule continues with this weekend's opponents. Saturday's opponent, Harvard, represents a foe the Blue Devils have faced many times in recruiting wars. In fact, Silar explained that the Crimson has a top-notch goalkeeper and a high-scoring forward that she tried to recruit for Duke.
Meanwhile, Sunday's opponent, 14th-ranked Northeastern, presents the opportunity to face a team of national prominence.
"[The Huskies are] very experienced both on offense and defense," Silar said. "We're looking to pull an upset."
To prepare for these two games, the team has relied on good, strong practices instead of attempting to make major changes. Silar does not point to any players individually who must perform, but rather looks for the team as a whole to play well.
Panasci, who through four games is already halfway to breaking Laura Gentile's all-time Duke record of 18 goals in a season, feels the team's practices have been raised a notch in intensity.
"We're working really hard in practice," Panasci said. "We're very competitive against each other and that has carried over to our games."
The practices have also allowed the team to strengthen its defense. According to Moles, Duke also must step up its game defensively.
"We're playing well but there are some holes on defense," Moles said. "We've had a few too many breakdowns."
Nonetheless, the Blue Devils still express confidence in reaching their overall season goal, a top-three finish in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Yet this presents a very difficult challenge for the team, since four teams in the ACC are currently ranked nationally in the top 10.
"We have a little bit further to go," Silar said. "We expect to get there."
The Blue Devils hope to build upon those lessons of their first four games and continue to grow as a team. Panasci looks forward to that challenge.
"Our team is really bonding and coming together," Panasci said. "We're looking forward to playing well this weekend."
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