After a 5-0 loss in last year’s national semifinals in Carson, Calif. the Blue Devils must be happy to be back home.
Junior Chris Loftus and freshman Mike Grella each scored goals, as No. 3 Duke (1-0) kicked off its 2005 regular season Thursday with a 2-0 win over Long Island University (0-1) at Koskinen Stadium.
With the win, the Blue Devils improve to 16-1 at home since to last year’s season opener, a 10-0 win over Emory & Henry.
The Blue Devils were far more dominant last night than the final score would indicate. While Duke fired 21 shots—nine on goal—at LIU keeper Alex Fatovic, the Blackbirds managed a measly three shots over the course of the entire game.
LIU, the defending Northeast Conference champions, never threatened goalkeeper Justin Papadakis, who saved only one shot on the way to his second career shutout.
“I thought the defense did an excellent job,” head coach John Rennie said. “We started two freshmen tonight and a lot of sophomores. We’re still a very young team and, that considered, I felt we did very well.”
The Blue Devils started the game slowly, pushing the ball up the field, only to have centering passes broken up time and time again by an agressive LIU defense. As the game went on, however, the faster and more athletic Duke squad wore down the overmatched LIU team. When Loftus headed a throw-in from freshman Darrius Barnes into the back of the net with 9:14 to go in the first half, Duke took a lead 1-0. After that, LIU stopped playing like a team trying to win, and started playing like a team afraid to get blown out.
“I thought we came out and played very pretty soccer,” said Loftus. “Earlier in the game we were a little sloppy—we definitely moved the ball around better in the second half than in the first half. You could see their team slide back a little bit and we could do whatever we wanted with the ball.”
The Blue Devils second goal came half-way through the second period when Spencer Wadsworth beat his defender with a quick move to his right and set up Grella with a beautiful centering pass just outside the box, giving the freshman a goal in the first game of his collegiate career.
Rennie’s squad was blessed with exceptional freshmen talent last year and already it seems that freshmen could make a big impact on the current team.
“Last year I heard many stories of freshmen coming up big and bringing them to the final four,” Grella said. “We hope that we can do the same this year.”
Rennie was pleased with his team’s performance and is looking forward to Duke’s matchup with St. Louis Saturday.
“I’m happy with the progress we’re making every game and now we get to see another top-20 team and I’m sure it’ll be a battle.”
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