Goal scoring is the least of Duke's worries these days.
Over the weekend, a potent attack led by juniors Elisabeth Redmond and KayAnne Gummersall produced seven goals in two games, leading to a 3-1 win over Dayton Friday night and a 4-2 victory over Ohio State Sunday afternoon.
The No. 14 Blue Devils (6-1) have scored 25 goals in seven games. Duke got off to a slow start Friday night at Dayton (4-2), however, trailing 1-0 at halftime.
"Being behind is not the ideal situation,""head coach Robbie Church said. "But everything was calm in the locker room, and we were able to recover.""
The Blue Devils rebounded well in the second half, scoring all three goals in a four-minute time span. The offense kept up a high-pressure attack throughout the period, producing seven corner kicks, two of which led to goals.
"We've really put a premium on set pieces this year," Church said. "It shows you're attacking. We really locked them into their half and didn't let them out."
In the 57th minute, Redmond hit the back of the net with a loose ball following a corner for her team-high sixth goal of the year. Two minutes later, Marybeth Kreger headed home a Jane Alukonis corner for a 2-1 lead. Gummersall finished the scoring spree in the 61st minute off a cross from Kreger, who was playing in front of a large contingent of family and friends.
In winds nearing 40 miles per hour Sunday, Duke was behind at the half again after Ohio State's Taylor Moront scored with less than a minute to play in the first half.
Redmond got the offense started early in the second, tying the game with her seventh goal of the season in the 50th minute. In the 68th, the Blue Devils took the lead for good, as Gummersall and Redmond each scored in a 25-second span for a 3-1 lead that Duke would not relinquish.
Freshman Cody Newman finished up the scoring for Duke with a goal off a Meaghan Fitzgerald corner in the 76th minute.
Ohio State (0-4-2), however, would not go down without a fight. Brook Taylor scored for the Buckeyes in the 81st minute to make it 4-2.
Despite taking away two wins from the trip through Ohio, Church said his team has to improve on starting games on the right foot.
"I am concerned,"" Church said. "We've had three games in a row like this, but we did have several good first halves to open the season. We played two very emotional teams and we've had to weather some storms this week, and that's something we'll work on in training.""
Coming home to Koskinen Stadium should help. The Blue Devils the Duke Classic next weekend. Duke plays Fordham at 7:30 p.m. Friday, and Georgia at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
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