The women's soccer team will host the 12th-annual Duke Adidas Women's Soccer Classic this weekend at Koskinen Stadium. The 11th-ranked Blue Devils will face off against Florida International Friday at 7 p.m. and Marquette Sunday at 3 p.m.
The University of North Carolina, the fourth team in the tournament, will play Marquette Friday at 5 p.m. and Florida International Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
Since it is not a round-robin tournament, a points system will determine the winner. Victories are worth two points and ties one point, with goal differential serving as the tiebreaker.
Duke (4-2) is excited to play its first home game since Aug. 30.
"It has been tough being away," said junior forward Gwendolyn Oxenham. "I am really excited to play in front of a big crowd with our own fan base."
The Blue Devils, entering the tournament on a three-game winning streak, will have to adjust to being the favored team. With neither Marquette nor FIU ranked in the top 25, Duke is expected to emerge from the weekend with two victories.
"During practice this week, we have looked at how
While the Golden Panthers, who have lost four games in a row, should not pose much of a threat to the Blue Devils, Marquette's stingy defense will make it difficult for Duke to score. The Blue Devils, who have overwhelmingly outshot their opponents 96-55, have only outscored their opponent 13-8.
Scoring will be even more difficult against Marquette. The Golden Eagles have posted four consecutive shutouts behind the near flawless play of senior goalie Ashleigh Koenig, who was recently named Conference USA co-defensive player of the week.
Duke will have to string together a series of passes and make sure that freshman Carmen Bognanno'Äîthe spark plug of the team'Äîand the fiery Oxenham get involved. Marquette is simply too good in the back for the Blue Devils to rely on leading scorer Casey McCluskey, who netted both goals against Florida last weekend, to produce all their offense.
"I think we have just been a little unlucky. We have averaged a high number of shots and just need a little luck to fall our way," said co-captain Liz Wagner.
While the offense may have a difficult time establishing itself, the defense, led by senior co-captain Rebecca Smith, should have no problem staving off its two opponents. Neither team is known for their offensive prowess and will find it very difficult to penetrate the solid play of Duke's back four.
With a 2-2 record against ranked opponents so far this season, Church understands how important it is for his team to get a few other wins under its belt.
"We know that we need at least a .500 winning percentage to be eligible for the NCAA tournament. There are no guarantees once we enter ACC play, and this is a chance for us to build on that winning mark," he said.
Church is not the only one who recognizes the significance of the weekend.
"There is nothing worse than losing to an opponent you should have beat. We are looking at it one game at a time, as a team with players who are capable of making things happen," said Oxenham.
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