With the 2001 campaign behind them--Duke's only losing season during head coach John Rennie's 24-year reign--the Blue Devils returned to Durham in early August with a bevy of unanswered questions: How would Duke's highly touted freshman perform? Could the Blue Devils find their way back into the national polls? Would Duke discover a winning mentality or slump back into the rut that was the 2001 season?
So when co-captain Scott Noble nonchalantly made the preseason remark that he thought his team would contend for the ACC title and make its way into the top 10 of the national polls, most dismissed his comments as overly optimistic. Thus far, however, the glass has certainly proven to be half-full for No. 18 Duke (9-3-1, 3-1 in the ACC).
"This year we're playing quite well," Rennie said. "We're pleased with where we are."
Unranked Virginia (7-5, 1-3 in the ACC) will look to reverse Duke's upward trend Sunday, when the Cavaliers host the Blue Devils in a 1 p.m. game in Charlottesville, Va.. Although Virginia's record is unimpressive, the Cavaliers are 6-0 at home in 2002 and have outscored opponents 32-18.
Virginia is led by junior forward Alecko Eskandarian. The second-team all-American leads the ACC with 38 points, having scored 17 goals and tallied four assists.
"Eskandarian is, to me, the best forward in the country," Rennie said. "He's just incredibly dynamic and quick and basically you can't stop him with just one player."
Duke's defense, though hampered by multiple injuries to its top players, has prepared all week for the offensive standout. The onus may be too much to bear, however, if defenders Matt Ahumada, Matt White and Robert Antoniou are rendered ineffective by their nagging injuries.
"With Ahumada, it's hard to tell how long he'll be able to play," Rennie said. "Matt White, Robert Antoniou, those three guys are certainly not ready to play ninety minutes."
Such injuries have allowed defenders Ryan Kerlew and Adam Guren to step up and contribute well for the Blue Devils. But without a stable defensive lineup, Duke's defense has been plagued by inconsistency, as evidenced by Duke's ACC play: a 3-0 shellacking by Maryland was hardly testament to the defense's stellar performance in a 1-0 victory over North Carolina. Against a Virginia team driven by its offensive prowess, outstanding backfield play will be imperative.
"That's our difficulty right now, becoming consistent in our defensive play," Rennie said. "So against a team like Virginia, it's going to be extremely difficult. They're kind of in a situation where their back is up against the wall, and I'm sure they're not very happy, so I'm sure they'll be extremely pumped to play Duke."
To alleviate the pressure on its defense, the Blue Devils will rely on what has been a surprisingly potent offense that has outshot opponents 207-94.
"I think the best defense is offense," forward Owoicho Adogwa said. "We're going to keep playing the way we know how to play."
Led by a quartet comprised of Adogwa, Jordan Cila, Donald McIntosh and Danny Kramer, Duke's offense has improved vastly compared to last year. Cila, who leads the team with six goals and seven assists, has catalyzed much of the Blue Devil's offense thus far and will be expected to do more of the same against the Cavaliers.
Adogwa, McIntosh, and Kramer each have four goals on the season. Duke is banking on this well-rounded attack to neutralize Eskandarian and the Wahoo attack.
"We've got to try to stop [Eskandarian]," goalie Justin Trowbridge said. "But they've got to contend with our balanced offense."
The contest promises to be a passionate affair, as the game is critical for both teams. This is perhaps more true for perennial national power Virginia, whose season could be made or broken depending on Sunday's outcome.
The Cavaliers have already been downed by ACC rivals North Carolina, Wake Forest and Clemson, and upset by non-conference foes Penn State and William & Mary. Regardless, the Blue Devils will be anything but cavalier in their efforts against Virginia.
"We're going to go after them, we're not going to adjust our game to them," Trowbridge said. "We'll make them adjust to us."
For Duke, the issue is not about what is at stake with a loss. Rather, the Blue Devils are focused on what can be gained with a victory. A win over Virginia would increase the team's confidence, not to mention Duke's place in the ACC and in the national polls.
"If we beat Virginia then I think we'll be on a good road confidence-wise," Adogwa said. "It will be our fourth straight win and will set the tone in the ACC and for the rest of the season."
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