Duke has done little but win during the first half of its season.
The No. 4 Blue Devils (10-1, 2-0 in the ACC) will travel to Clemson (5-4, 0-2) for their third conference match of the season Sunday at 2 p.m. Duke has been dominant in ACC play so far. Coming off a 2-1 win over then-No. 3 Florida State and a 3-0 victory against Miami last night, the team continues to make its mark on the national level.
Despite remaining unranked, Clemson, who dropped their first two conference games, should not be overlooked, as two of their last three losses —both 3-2 defeats, to Miami and Furman—have come in double overtime.
Junior forward Maddy Elder leads the Tigers in goals, with six so far on the season, pacing a Clemson attack that has outscored its opponents 25-16. Duke goalkeeper Tara Campbell may be busy, though she and the Blue Devil defense have allowed just five goals all season.
The Blue Devils will rely heavily on freshman Kelly Cobb to penetrate the Tigers’ defense. She leads the team with eight goals and 18 points, followed by Laura Weinberg’s four scores.
One of head coach Robbie Church’s concerns heading into the contest is the fact that Duke will be playing its first conference game on the road.
“We have not been away from home so we are still trying to feel out the process,” he said. “It is really going to be our focus to win on the road.”
Looking toward the ACC and NCAA tournaments, a win against a competitive conference opponent away from home would continue the Blue Devils’ path in the right direction, especially with upcoming road games against No. 5 North Carolina and No. 13 Boston College.
“These are the games that we have to be focused,” Weinberg said. “This win would be huge.”
Duke has defeated Clemson the past three seasons, though Church sees this Tiger team as a very different one.
“They have a new coach,” he said. “Eddie Radwanski did a fantastic job at [UNC-Greensboro]. They have beaten us in the past.”
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