Though the No. 4 men's soccer team captured seven wins in its first nine games, head coach John Rennie knew that his team would need to perform up to higher standards to compete with ranked teams in the ACC.
In its most recent game, Duke (9-3-1) posted a dominant 6-0 victory over then-No. 14 N.C. State, netting five goals in the first half and shutting out its opponent for the fifth time this year.
"It's the overall improvement that's our biggest asset," Rennie said. "Earlier in the year, we'd been giving up too many goals. Some games you don't finish chances. We did last game. We want to continue to work hard and get better."
Duke hopes to continue to show signs of improvement when it faces off against Stony Brook (9-3-3), a non-conference team currently in second place in the America East Conference, tonight at 7 p.m. at Koskinen Stadium.
"We've never played Stony Brook before, so we don't know what to expect," Rennie said. "We're more concerned with scoring goals and preventing goals. We did these things well against N.C. State and hope we can continue."
One of the key components of the improving offense has been the play of freshman Mike Grella. The midfielder is currently tied for third in goals scored and fourth in total points.
"He's obviously a freshman and started every game, except for one because of a red card," Rennie said. "He has an impact on the team as a central striker, 'center forward' if you will. He's extremely good at holding the ball."
Grella's talent is his dribbling ability, Rennie noted. He is able to protect the ball long enough for his teammates to move in to the opponent's zone, generating many offensive opportunities.
"His first touch is outstanding, making it easier for other guys to get into the packing end," Rennie said. "He's one of the best players as a freshman that we've ever had at Duke at that particular skill."
Another key to Duke's offensive improvement has been midfielder Danny Kramer.
The senior captain, who tallied 10 goals and seven assists last year, struggled scoring early in the season, posting only two goals in his first 12 games. But against N.C. State, Kramer scored two goals in the first half, helping to break open the game.
"Danny is a pure front-runner," Rennie said. "He has tremendous speed. He has a knack of getting good scoring chances and scoring some big goals this season.... By the end of the season, his score totals will be up."
On the defensive end, the Blue Devils recently have prevented the opposition from creating potential scoring chances-the team needed only one save to shut out the Wolfpack.
Early in the season, Duke gave up 10 goals in one four-game stretch. In contrast, the Blue Devils have allowed only one goal over the past three games, despite facing two ranked opponents in that stretch.
Sophomore Tim Jepson, who Rennie said plays a central role on the back line, has played a total of 1151 minutes in 13 games, the most of any Blue Devil besides goalkeeper Justin Papadakis. His leadership has been key to Duke's recent defensive success, his coach said.
"Tim has an awful lot of responsibility on him as a central defender as a sophomore," Rennie said. "He's expected to be a great leader and player. He's done both very, very well.... He has become a vocal leader."
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