Sometimes timing is everything. And for Duke, the time is just right to take on No. 11 North Carolina.
The Blue Devils (7-2-3, 2-1-1 in the ACC) travel to Fetzer Field on a roll, having won seven of their past 10 games and outscoring opponents 19-7 over that same stretch. Their only two loses have come to then-No. 2 Texas A&M and No. 4 Virginia, losing 2-0 in each contest.
The Duke offense has been firing on all cylinders, with Elisabeth Redmond and Kelly Hathorn leading the goal parade with four tallies each. The freshman class has been key as well, with four first-years on the roster contributing at least one goal.
North Carolina (9-3-0, 3-1-0), on the other hand, has lost three games in a season for the first time since 2000. The Tar Heels were blanked 1-0 by South Carolina, William & Mary and Miami.
The Blue Devils, however, are still treating their Tobacco Road rivals as if they are undefeated.
"I've watched them on tape all week and they're not vulnerable," Duke head coach Robbie Church said. "They're as good as anyone in the country."
Despite the team's uncharacteristic losses, North Carolina is still the defending NCAA champion and currently sits atop the ACC standings.
But the Tar Heels' recent scoring drought is good news for the Duke defense, which has been playing excellent as of late. The back four for Duke has been stifling its opponents, surrendering only three goals in four conference contests.
But the matchup against its arch rival has a bit of a twist. Carolina plays in a 4-4-3 formation, meaning they have an extra attacker instead of four defenders-a set the Blue Devils have not seen from any opponent this season.
Midfielder Lorraine Quinn and Duke remain unconcerned, though, insisting that they do not make drastic changes in preparation for any team, not even the Tar Heels.
"We're not going to change our formation for them," Quinn said of UNC. "We're going to try to play our game."
The Blue Devils maintain they are not doing anything more to ready themselves for the Tar Heels than they would for any other opponent. Although, after practice, it was clear which game was next on the slate.
Church warned his team to watch what they say to avoid giving North Carolina any extra motivation in the form of locker room bulletin board material.
As Church said, the Duke-North Carolina game is a great rivalry, a fact that is not lost on his players.
"It's a game that people would love to play," Church said of the Tobacco Road showdown. "We are all very fortunate to be a part of this great rivalry. It's what college sports is all about."
This particular meeting, however, offers the Blue Devils a chance to pick up only their third victory in 32 games against the Tar Heels. For Duke, there is no time like the present.
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