Never has a one-goal game been so one-sided.
The women's soccer team opened the season with a 2-1 victory over Wake Forest on Saturday night at Duke Soccer Stadium. The game was never really that close, however, as the Blue Devils controlled the game throughout, outshooting the Demon Deacons 31-7.
The only time the outcome was in doubt was when Wake tied the game at one apiece midway through the second half off of a corner kick. Duke responded immediately, however. Less than 90 seconds later, senior forward Kelly Walbert scored her second goal of the night to end the scoring.
"No, I was never worried," Duke head coach Bill Hempen said. "If the reaction of our players after Wake scored would have been one of frighten, then I would have been scared. But they didn't, they came out and they went right back at it.
"They did what they'd been doing the whole game, they just attacked and attacked. And it wasn't very long after Wake scored that we scored again. No, I was never in any doubt that we were going to win."
Duke dominated from the opening kickoff as it controlled possession of the ball and kept the ball deep in Wake Forest's end for long stretches of time. The Demon Deacons, in their second year of women's soccer, started eight freshmen. After losing to the Blue Devils 4-0 last year, it was evident that their program has made great strides.
"I think Wake has improved tremendously," Walbert said. "They're a great team, and they gave a great effort tonight. I thought it was a great first game for us.
"We're not disappointed in ourselves at all. A win's a win for our first game. It's going to teach us to respect every opponent that we play."
Duke pounded the Demon Deacons' goal all night with shots. It totaled 31 shots in all, but many of them were way off target. The inability to put good shots on goal was the Blue Devils one problem of the night.
"I wasn't pleased with the way we finished, but it's early in the season," Hempen said. "I told them after the game, `Sometimes all of those are going to go in, and sometimes only are a few of them are going to go in.' But tonight we scored enough to win."
Walbert tallied both goals for the Blue Devils--one in each half--and created numerous scoring opportunities from her forward position. It appeared that she would get the hat trick with three goals, but she was unable to convert when she had chances throughout the second half. Make no mistake though, Walbert was the star of the game for Duke.
"I've been trying to tell people, and they won't listen to me," Hempen said. "But Kelly Walbert is a hell of a player. If she gets that many chances a game all year long, hopefully somebody will stand up and take notice of her ability."
Walbert was nonplussed after the game about not scoring the hat trick. Her main concern was making sure the forwards got the season off to a good start and meshed with the rest of the team. All of the forwards played well--junior Emily Studebaker, sophomore Andi Melde and junior Mandy Manzanares--and Hempen appeared pleased with his new found dilemma of finding playing time for all of them.
The game was very special to Manzanares. She redshirted her freshman year following reconstructive surgery on her right knee. Last year she saw limited action in 16 games, but was still playing with some pain in her knees. After taking some time off in the spring, Manzanares has returned with a vengeance and is finally playing without pain.
"I was very nervous coming into tonight," Manzanares said. "[The game] was very special for me because of the last two years--obviously, freshman year I redshirted and last year I really struggled. This is the first year I've actually started the season and been healthy. The knees are finally great, and I'm just taking it one game at a time."
After the close scoring game on Saturday night, Duke is doing just the same.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.