It just was not meant to be for the women's soccer team this past Sunday, as it lost a close game to a very athletic and strong UCLA team. Playing host to 3rd-ranked UCLA as part of the 2003 Duke adidas Women's Soccer Classic, the 9th-ranked Duke women squandered the few opportunities they had, losing 2-1.
The Blue Devils (5-2-1) got off to a slow start and played much of the first half at the Bruins' tempo.
"We were tentative, we didn't come out and attack," Duke head coach Robbie Church said.
It was apparent as they fell behind early 1-0 when UCLA sophomore Iris Mora floated a ball over goalkeeper Thora Helgadottir's head.
"I'm not really sure what happened," Helgadottir said. "She seemed to just get all the time she wanted."
The goal was a wake-up call for the Blue Devils, when on the ensuing possession Casey McCluskey took the ball past the UCLA defense and pushed her shot just wide left.
It was the best scoring opportunity Duke had in the first half, as the Bruins' All-American defender Nandi Pryce would not allow the Blue Devil offense to muster any sort of attack.
Midway through the second half, the Duke team finally broke through the UCLA defense on a beautifully placed ball by McCluskey.
"It was a great team ball," said Lauren Tippets, who scored the goal. "All I had to do was put it in."
It appeared as if the momentum was finally shifting in Duke's favor when just three minutes later Stephanie Kron sent a corner sailing across the middle. After deflecting off a couple of players, all Lindsay Greco had to do was tap the ball in for the game winner.
"In soccer the most dangerous time is the five minutes after you score," McCluskey said.
Against the Bruins, this could not have been more true as UCLA capitalized on these chances.
"It is always difficult to maintain intensity after you score," McCluskey said. "You get complacent."
After an exciting win over Richmond 4-0 Friday night in the first game of the tournament, Duke had trouble maintaining any type of momentum against the Bruins. Helgadottir attributed the team's difficulties to not setting its own tempo early.
"We didn't come out as hard as we have in the past and that is why we started chasing them," Helgadottir said. "We're not the kind of team that chases. We want to be chased."
While Sunday's match ended in defeat, the overall mood of the weekend was a positive one.
"We're a little disappointed because we knew we could play with them," Tippets said. "But it did give us confidence that we can really play with any team in the nation."
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