Duke and Virginia both have one last ACC matchup left on their slates. Winless in conference play, the Cavaliers hope to snap their five-game losing skid against the No. 8 Blue Devils Friday at Koskinen Stadium at 6 p.m.
“It’s a great rivalry, it’ll be a great crowd and Virginia will come out with a lot of energy when they play,” Duke junior Jordan Wolf said. “We just have to match that intensity and execute our gameplan.”
Unranked for the first time since 2004, the Cavaliers (5-6, 0-2 in the ACC) are more talented than their losing record indicates. In a 9-7 loss to No. 1 Maryland and a 10-7 defeat at the hands of No. 6 North Carolina, they demonstrated their ability to contain high-octane offensive units. Virginia is one of just two teams to limit Maryland—which ranks third in the country in scoring offense—to fewer than 10 goals in a game this season. The Cavalier defense averages 9.73 caused turnovers per game, good for eighth in the nation.
“They’re very competitive and right in there in their games,” Duke head coach John Danowski said. “Defensively, they’re athletic, long and lean, so if we’re not fundamentally-sound offensively, they can cause turnovers and create transition offense.”
As strong as Virginia’s defense is, it has been difficult for teams to find an answer for the Blue Devils’ attack in recent games. In addition to a high scoring output—Duke averaged 16.75 goals in its last four outings—the Blue Devils (9-4, 1-1) rank sixth in the country in assists per game with 7.46. Duke’s unselfish play has been the key to its offensive success.
“We’ve been working extremely hard in practice. Every single day has been a challenge,” Wolf said. “Offensively, we’re sharing better.”
Duke’s improvement has not been limited to the offensive end of the field. In the team’s seven-game winning streak—including signature wins against North Carolina and then-No. 4 Loyola—the Blue Devils have proven themselves defensively. Their defense will be critical against a relentless Cavalier attack that has outshot its opponents 513-350 this season.
Virginia has five double-digit scorers in juniors Mark Cockerton, Nick O’Reilly and Rob Emery, senior Mark White and sophomore Ryan Tucker. Cockerton leads the team in scoring with 32 goals, and O’Reilly ranks second with 18. O’Reilly is also the Cavaliers’ assist leader with 21 on the year.
“O’Reilly is their quarterback, and they’ve got five dynamite offensive players,” Danowski said. “There’s a reason they’re so successful year after year. They have tremendous high-end talent.”
Before Duke sets its sights on the conference tournament later this month, it must first survive its final ACC test.
“It’s going to be a great challenge,” Wolf said. “We’re prepared, and we’re really excited.”
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.