Any good team is measured by how well it responds to a loss.
And by that count, for the No. 14 Blue Devils (4-1), this weekend provides an opportunity to show how good they are.
After suffering a 3-1 defeat to No. 2 Notre Dame Sunday, Duke looks to recover against Dayton (4-1) Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Ohio State (0-2-2) Sunday at 1 p.m.
The two matches mark Duke's first road trip of the season, and the team seems up to the challenge-especially given its last game.
"We need to get out of our comfort zone and learn to handle going on the road," head coach Robbie Church said. "Every team is different, and we don't know how this team is going to react right now, but I feel this team is excited about playing again."
With less than two weeks until conference play, traveling to the unfriendly environments of Dayton and Ohio State should be a preview for what Duke will experience in the ACC.
But the Blue Devils are confident they are ready for the task at hand.
"We are approaching it as we have to win two games, but are taking it one game at a time," senior defender Sheila Kramer said. "This is a good test, and we have used the words 'hungry' and 'aggressive' to describe our attitude this season."
The team's hard week of practice should leave it well-prepared for the upcoming games. With the highly touted Flyers being the first contest of the weekend for Duke, Church's team has devoted most of its attention to Friday.
In addition to being a pivotal point in the early season, this weekend also is a homecoming for sophomore midfielder Marybeth Kreger.
Kreger, from Noblesville, Ind., will have some extra support from family and friends, who are making the short trip to Ohio to watch her and the rest of the Blue Devils try and improve to 6-1.
"I'm pretty pumped about it, and we are going to have a really good showing," Kreger said. "We are ready to move on from [the Notre Dame game] and play our best this weekend."
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