CHAPEL HILL-Goals were scarce for Duke last weekend in California, and legitimate scoring opportunities were just as rare.
At the Carolina Classic this weekend, the Blue Devils only punched in one goal in a 1-0 win over Yale Friday night and a 2-0 loss to No. 3 Texas A&M Sunday afternoon at Fetzer Field. But for Duke (1-1-2), one goal, many more chances and the snapping of a wretched scoring drought were encouraging signs of the upcoming season.
Sophomore Elisabeth Redmond ended a 675-minute scoreless streak in the 41st minute of Friday night's contest against the Bulldogs (1-2). Midfielder Lorraine Quinn made a run down the right side and delivered a ball to the top of the 18-yard box, where Redmond ran it down and sent a shot into the upper left corner of the net.
Redmond did not de-emphasize the game-winning and streak-breaking goal, either.
"It was definitely important for us," Redmond said. "We were playing well, we just needed to focus and start going at them and attacking."
That aggressive approach was not Duke's mindset last weekend, prompting head coach Robbie Church to urge his team to play with more energy in greater spurts. On Sunday against the Aggies, one of the best teams in the country, Duke heeded Church's advice, even after Aggie Laura Robinson connected on a lovely strike in the 33rd minute and Melissa Garey added a tally in the 61st minute.
Down two goals, the Blue Devils peppered the Texas A&M net with 14 shots, some of which made goalkeeper Kristin Arnold dive across the net to maintain the shutout. In the 66th minute, Quinn fired a shot from 35 yards out that deflected off the back of a head of a defender. The ball redirected to the right side of the net, catching Arnold flatfooted for a second before she recovered and dove to her left to make the stop. Later in the game, Redmond chased a ball down in the box but pushed her attempt over the net. While the flurry did not result in any goals Sunday, it means that some goals are likely on the horizon.
"We were really emphasizing coming out for 90 minutes," Quinn said. "Last weekend, there were periods where we were not working as hard as we should have. We looked a little bit lackadaisical. At halftime, [Church] kept encouraging us and told us to keep putting in our hard work. I think we came out with just as much energy in the second half."
After the two stalemates last weekend, Quinn shouldered the burden of jolting life into a somewhat stagnant team. The junior epitomized Duke's upbeat attitude all weekend, controlling play in the midfield and sending through balls to the sides of the field.
And by doing so, she impressed Church, who showered her with praise after the game.
"Lorraine was unbelievable," Church said. "She was all over the place. She was worth the price of admission."
Duke plays its first homestand at Koskinen Stadium Thursday and Sunday against Elon and Dartmouth. Goals were more abundant closer to home this weekend, and the Blue Devils hope that they are even more plentiful in the friendly confines of Koskinen next weekend.
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