Two weekends ago, Duke's offense posted five goals in two games, winning one game but dropping the other as the defense squandered a three-goal lead to Kansas.
Last weekend, however, the defense was stellar, surrendering just two goals in two games, while the offense only scored one.
The Blue Devils (4-3-1) hope to combine good play on both ends of the field tonight, when they open ACC play at Virginia Tech (4-2-1) at 7 p.m.
"As a whole, we need to put everything together," head coach Robbie Church said. "When we do that, we're going to put a hurting on somebody. And I think we're going to put a hurting on somebody soon."
When Duke takes the field in Blacksburg, Va. the focus will be on revitalizing a struggling offense. Church said he will not make any positional changes, and the team does not seem too worried about its anemic output, even though the Blue Devils only scored once last weekend in the Duke/adidas Classic.
"We were clicking really well, we just couldn't score goals," senior midfielder Lauren Tippets said. "We still created a lot of opportunities. I think it was just a lack of finishing last weekend."
The defense, on the other hand, flourished in the tournament, holding traditional powerhouse Florida and scrappy Marquette to just one goal apiece. Junior goalkeeper Allison Lipsher played particularly well in the loss and the tie, Church said.
Although Virginia Tech is Duke's first opponent in the ACC, Church's squad has already faced challenges this year. After its 1-1 draw with Marquette Sunday, Duke dropped out of the top 25 for the first time all season.
To prepare his team for the brutally competitive ACC, Church compiled a tough non-conference schedule to open the season. Four of Duke's first nine opponents qualified for the NCAA tournament last fall.
"We've learned a lot about us," Church said. "I think we're very, very close to being a very good team."
Virginia Tech is not ranked in the top 25 and is coming off a 3-0 loss to Evansville, but that does not mean Duke is taking the Hokies lightly. The Blue Devils have never lost to Virginia Tech, beating the Hokies twice in the last two years. But Church's team has played the Hokies in Durham both years.
"Every ACC team is going to be tough," senior Rachel Rose-Cohen said. "No matter where they finished last year, every game is full of an aggressive environment, and everybody wants to win."
Virginia Tech's head coach Kelly Cagle especially wants a victory against her alma-mater. Cagle graduated Duke in 1996 and was a three-time All America and ACC Player of the Year in 1995.
Duke's defense will try to halt the Hokies' scoring attack led by freshman Emily Jukich, who has scored six goals this season.
Despite Virginia Tech's relative success this season, Duke still feels confident it will put its offense and defense together to begin its run for an ACC regular season championship.
"I think that if we play up to our potential, that we can do very, very well in the ACC," Rose-Cohen said. "I don't doubt us. There's a lot more in us that people haven't seen yet."
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