Head coach John Danowski admitted it could have been a trap game.
His team was coming off consecutive blowouts of defending national champion Johns Hopkins and then-No. 3 Virginia- games the Blue Devils won by a combined 21 goals. An ACC semifinal matchup with rival North Carolina looms Friday.
But first, No. 2 Duke had to get past a surging Army team that rose nine spots in the poll last week.
The eighth-ranked Black Knights (9-4) pushed the Blue Devils all game, but Duke (13-1) still pulled off a 10-6 victory in front of a sold-out crowd of 5,000 fans Saturday in Manhasset, N.Y.
"We didn't have one of our better games," said midfielder Ned Crotty, who paced the Blue Devils with three goals. "The second half was really sloppy...[but] we kept playing hard, and we didn't get frustrated. In that aspect, it was a good win for us because we fought through our struggles."
Duke didn't have trouble getting scoring chances, but the team had a hard time finding the back of the net. The Blue Devils outshot Army 48-25-including 39-15 over the first three quarters-but managed just 10 goals, six below their season average.
"We did a good job, but I don't think we capitalized on our opportunities," goalie Dan Loftus said. "We both gave each other fits."
The main source of Duke's frustration was Black Knight goalie Adam Fullerton, who registered a career-high 24 saves in what Danowski called an "unbelievable" performance. The lefty made 12 saves in each half, and he was a major reason why the Blue Devils' statistical dominance didn't translate onto the scoreboard.
Despite Fullerton's solid play, Duke cracked double digits, a feat accomplished by just one other Army opponent this season.
"Their goalie absolutely stood on his head," Crotty said. "When the offense works perfectly, and you get a great shot and the goalie robs you, it takes the wind out of you. It hurts. We had to fight through that."
And the Blue Devils did, jumping out to a 5-0 lead early in the second quarter and never allowing the Black Knights to cut the deficit to less than three for the rest of the contest.
Because of Duke's numerous scoring opportunities, Army's offensive chances were limited. One of the Black Knights' goals came on an extra-man opportunity, two came off of faceoffs, and their last goal was a meaningless tally as time expired.
"Six-on-six, we did really well," Danowski said. "Dan Loftus made a couple of real good saves, and I thought we did a real good job in the passing lanes."
The game was played at Manhasset High School in honor of former Blue Devil and Army Ranger Jimmy Regan, who was killed in Iraq Feb. 9, 2007. The proceeds from the game went to the Lead the Way Fund, established to aid families of injured Army Rangers.
Before the opening faceoff, seven paratroopers parachuted onto the field to deliver the game ball in a unique and awesome pregame ceremony, Crotty said.
"There was a tremendous energy from the moment we walked into the school," Danowski said. "It was electric."
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.