When Ali Curtis came off the field during the first overtime Friday night, he knocked a few cups of water off a table near the Duke bench after failing to convert on several excellent chances to score in what would be a 2-2 tie with No. 15 Rutgers (1-0-2).
When Curtis came off the field in the first overtime Saturday night, he pumped his fists in the air and was engulfed in a swarm of teammates after scoring on a penalty kick to give the 10th-ranked Blue Devils (3-0-1) a 2-1 win over No. 11 Connecticut (2-2) and a Duke adidas Soccer Classic title.
Curtis, who also scored the Blue Devils' first goal of the night, set up the penalty kick when he streaked down the middle of the field and was tripped in front of the Husky goal. As soon as the whistle blew, he started pointing to his chest, letting everyone in Koskinen Stadium know who he thought should go one-on-one with UConn goalie Matt Chavlovich.
"I wanted to take the shot," he said. "I wanted the pressure. I wanted the goal."
With the scoreboard frozen at 7:03, Chavlovich dove right, Curtis went left and the Blue Devils got to go home after playing more than 217 minutes in two nights.
"I wanted to go home just as much as everyone else," Curtis said.
The junior earned tournament MVP honors after scoring both of Duke's goals. With the Blue Devils trailing 1-0 in the 16th minute of the second half, forward Troy Garner dribbled in toward the Husky goal and had his shot blocked out of bounds by Chavlovich. Freshman Donald McIntosh headed the ensuing corner kick off the goalpost and into the pack of players in front of the net, where Curtis booted it home to tie the score.
The forward sat out for several minutes late in both halves, as Duke's deep bench paid big dividends in the two overtime contests. Fifteen players saw significant minutes and Curtis was fresh in the extra period to give the Blue Devils the winning goal that eluded them through two overtimes Friday night.
Duke outshot the Scarlet Knights 18-9 but managed just two goals. That was almost enough for the win, as the Blue Devils led 2-1 with less than two minutes remaining in the game. But they couldn't clear a Rutgers corner kick, which midfielder Brian Piesner put away to send the contest into overtime.
"The first clear was not perfect," coach John Rennie said. "It's the kind of goal you hate to give up."
Rutgers got on the board first Friday, taking a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute of the second half on a shot by midfielder Michael Karim that bounced off the right post and into the goal.
The Blue Devils answered in the 21st minute. Garner found Parea to the left of the goal, and the freshman took several dribbles before lining a crossing pass that midfielder Scott Noble headed in. Less than a minute later, a scramble in front of the goal resulted in a 2-1 Duke lead, as McIntosh's shot deflected off a Scarlet Knight and into the net.
But the Blue Devils couldn't solve the Rutgers defense the rest of the way. Curtis said he and his teammates felt much more comfortable on the attack against UConn.
"[Friday] night we were playing against a very hard-working team," he said. "Not that we don't work hard, but our style is more about speed and skill, and that's how UConn plays."
Curtis had two open shots in the second overtime Friday but neither found its way into the goal. In the ninth minute of play, he eluded several defenders in front of the goal but his shot missed high. Then Scarlet Knight goalie Jon Conway made a diving save on his low line drive five minutes later.
Coming off two overtime games in two nights, Duke's players aren't complaining about having a week off before their next game. It's at Clemson, which is picked to win the ACC for the second straight year.
But after two contests against ranked teams, Rennie and Curtis both felt the Blue Devils are ready for their conference battles.
"It was a great weekend," the coach said. "We learned a lot, and it ended on a good note."
Notes: Garner was named to the All-Tournament team for Duke along with fellow tri-captains Peter Gail and Robert Russell.
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