At this time last year, Kate Soulier, Amy Noble, Kristin Seith, Claire Finn and Courtney Rodgers were all playing competitive lacrosse against top quality programs-in high school.
This year, those same four players are playing competitive lacrosse against top quality programs, only now a state title is not the ultimate goal.
Coming into the 1998 season, the Blue Devils were not sure what to expect out of their youthful midfield. But after Duke stormed out of the gate winning seven of its first ten games, there are not too many complaints.
"They know what it feels like to win; they know how to win," coach Kerstin Kimel said. "I brought them here because they don't like to lose.... They have the right attitude. They have contributed a ton to our team in that sense."
The teams of the past two years-the first two in Duke women's lacrosse history- knew what it felt like to lose. But when starting a program, one expects to take some losses. The freshmen of this year do not know what it was like to be defeated by the likes of national powers Georgetown and Maryland.
They entered games against top teams expecting to be in the game until the end. Maryland was the first to realize the potential of this Duke team when the Blue Devils upset the top-ranked Terrapins 10-6 on Mar. 6.
"It's a whole new outlook this year," sophomore Keri Dunn said. "The freshmen came in wanting instant success.... All they do is add positive feedback. I think their extra energy just pushes us."
The right attitude is important, but there is no substitute for talent and an understanding of the game. The freshmen have been logging a lot of minutes and making big plays for most of the season.
"I really believe that games are won and
Scrappiness is certainly a desired quality in a midfielder, whose job description includes collecting as many ground balls as possible. Rodgers and Noble are second and third on the team, respectively, in retrieved ground balls.
Speed is also quite an asset in the transition game. It is a great advantage to have the ability to push the ball up the field before the opposing defense is set.
Sophomore attacker Tricia Martin has been the beneficiary of the solid midfield play. She leads the team in goals and points, which is a tribute to the efficiency of the midfield in getting Martin the ball.
The midfielders themselves have found the back of the net quite often as well. Soulier is second on the team with 13 goals, and she leads the team in assists. Noble is third in goals and second in assists, just behind her classmate.
The Blue Devils have produced games of 15 goals, 17 goals and a record-setting 19-goal performance against Notre Dame.
While the freshmen may bring an air of confidence to the field, they do not bring NCAA experience. Senior Karen Sutton, junior Kendra Basner and sophomore Emily Hickman, all midfielders, have helped the rookies adjust to the college game.
"They expect a lot out of us, yet they are there and remember that we are freshmen, so they help us in any way they can," Soulier said. "They have been absolutely phenomenal."
Without the guidance and support of Duke's veterans, the younger players may not have flourished as early as they have. Since this is the Blue Devils' first winning season, all the players are somewhat new to the situation.
As expected, the midfield has had its ups and downs. After notching big wins against Maryland and Georgetown, the Blue Devils traveled to Chapel Hill for a date with another No. 1.
The experienced Tar Heels pulled out a 9-6 victory over Duke, due in part to second half turnovers in transition. UNC's relentless pressure disrupted many of Duke's passes, which led to a lack of opportunities on the offensive end.
The Blue Devils suffered another setback at the hands of William & Mary this past Sunday, but Kimel believes her team has the talent and determination that it takes to get back on track.
"If the kids play well, [the youth] can be a huge asset for us, but if they play hesitant like this past weekend, it could hurt us," Kimel said. "Right now we're playing not to lose.... Our focus has to be to play well and get back to doing the things we did early in the season."
Duke has been ranked near the top of the polls all season, but this may be somewhat of a disadvantage to a young team. A higher ranking means higher expectations.
"Pressure has been the biggest disadvantage for us," Dunn said. "Sometimes you might step out on the field feeling extra pressure worrying about losing and falling in the rankings. The older players know that we really have to fight in every game."
Having players who are accustomed to winning is certainly a positive, but it also means that they may not be used to dealing with losses. The Blue Devils' season is far from over, and how they rebound from their recent two-game losing streak is of key importance.
Duke will have its chance to get back in the win column Friday, when it hosts Virginia at 3 p.m.
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