With two teams in the top 10, including No. 1 ranked Wake Forest, and two others in the top 25, the Blue Devils definitely have their work cut out for them in this week's ACC tournament.
"Some people say it's more difficult to win the ACC tournament than the NCAA tournament," freshman Danny Kramer said.
Duke, seeded 5th in the conference tournament faces No. 4 UVa, 14th overall, today at 3 p.m. at the SAS Soccer Complex in Cary. A victory over the Cavaliers would mean a second-round match-up with Wake Forest Friday at 5:30 p.m.
The Blue Devils, 2-3 in their last five games, are looking to make up for losses to UVa and Wake earlier in the season.
"Earlier in the year, we didn't think we were as good as the other teams out there," junior striker Jordan Cila said. "Mentally, we now know that we are just as good if not better than any team in the ACC."
Cila spearheads a potent offense that has scored 13 goals in its last five victories. Leading the team in points and assists, he is also second in goals and shots.
The biggest asset for Duke will be a healthy starting squad that has been plagued with injuries throughout the season. Junior defender Matt Ahumada did not play in the game against UVa and defenders Ryan Kerlew and Matt White saw limited minutes because of ailments.
"We are healthier," head coach John Rennie said. "We are still missing some guys, but for the most part we will have our starting lineup. That is the most important thing for the end of the season."
On the defensive end, the Blue Devils will rely on starting sophomore goalkeeper Justin Trowbridge, who has played all but ten minutes of the season between the posts.
Trowbridge enters the tournament with 42 saves, 1.33 goals against average, and a .636 saves percentage.
"We need to play mistake free soccer in the back," Trowbridge said. "UVa likes to play high pressure soccer, and we have been working on countering that."
The team has been reviewing a lot of tapes of previous games in preparation for the tournament. Rennie said he is determined to continue with the same game plan he has used throughout the season.
"The real important thing is for the team to play defense," Rennie said. "Defense is a team thing. Not only the defenders, but the forwards and midfielders also have to step it up defensively. You win on defense."
The Blue Devils will have to contend with Cavalier forward and ACC player of the year Alecko Eskandarian, who has recorded 22 goals on the season and leads a squad that has churned out seven consecutive victories.
Wake, undefeated in the regular season, brings a force that received seven ACC accolades including coach and freshman of the year as well as three first team all-ACC players.
Should the Blue Devils emerge victorious in the first two rounds, they will likely face No. 2 Maryland, ranked 8th overall, or No. 3 North Carolina, 17th in the country, in the finals.
Duke is 13-12 in 15 appearances in the ACC tournament. The Blue Devils were ousted on penalty kicks by the Demon Deacons last season, and it was the Cavaliers that took them out in the semifinals in 2000.
The season before, however, Duke beat the Wahoos to win its only ACC men's soccer tournament.
The Blue Devils, cognizant of the ramifications of a loss, know that they are a team on the bubble--not guaranteed an NCAA bid.
"We know it's huge," said Trowbridge. "It's the ACC tournament. We're pumped and ready to go."
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