After tying Virginia Tech in its third double-overtime match of the season, Duke is still waiting for its offense to click. The Blue Devils took 16 more shots than the Hokies, yet managed to score merely one goal in the match.
“We’re just waiting for the floodgates to open,” junior Sean Davis said. “And then, after that point, things will fall into place.”
Taking on an undefeated Davidson team Tuesday night will once again put the pressure on Duke's offense to deliver. In their first mid-week road game of the season, the Blue Devils will face Wildcat goalkeeper Matt Pacifici, whose 0.51 goals-against average leads the Southern Conference.
“Davidson has always been a tough matchup for us,” Davis said. “They’re a tough team, especially with these Tuesday night games which have been difficult for us before.”
Despite outshooting their opponents in every contest but one this season, the Blue Devils (2-1-2) have only scored a single goal in each of their games except for a 2-0 win against Elon.
Although freshman Brody Huitema’s 11 shots are tied for the third-most in the ACC, Duke does not seem able to convert chances into goals. Despite a paltry .065 shooting percentage, Davis said that his team will soon find the back of the net.
“It’s definitely a positive sign that the shots are coming in, but obviously they’re not going in,” he said. “But eventually they’re going to go in, and from there we’re going to ride that momentum.”
Duke’s lone bright spot on offense has been sophomore Zach Mathers, who switched from defense to midfield this season. Mathers’ two goals are tied with Davis to lead the team.
“[Mathers] is great because he gives us a lot of energy and fight,” Davis said. “He’s willing to do anything to help the team, and we really appreciate having him there on both offense and defense.”
The Blue Devils’ six goals this season, however, have been tallied by Mathers and Davis along with junior Nick Palodichuk and senior Sebastien Ibeagha, who have each notched one goal thus far.
Duke will need to look for other weapons on offense against Pacifici, who is protected by the Wildcats' veteran back four. Juniors Luke Blades, John Pace, Drew Brown and Kristian Garciamendez-Rowold all bring experience to the match against the Blue Devils, each having played in at least 16 games last year.
Davidson (4-0-1) also boasts a powerful offense, with seven different players who have scored goals. Sophomore Alex Rotunda is tied for the lead with two goals and scored the game winner in the Wildcats' 1-0 victory against Longwood Saturday.
Duke will counter Davidson's offensive prowess with goalkeeper Alex Long, who leads the ACC with 22 saves. The Blue Devils have succeeded defensively against Davidson in the past, shutting out the Wildcats in three of the past five contests.
“It’s been a great transition for Alex coming into school as a transfer,” Davis said. “The back four on defense is always solid for us and we’ve never had problems with them. They’re the leaders of this team, and they get us out of trouble.”
The Blue Devils hope that the backline will remain a consistent force as the offense continues to push for a scoring breakthrough. The atmosphere in preparation for Davidson has focused on staying positive in light of recent subpar performances.
“The mindset has been great in training,” Davis said. “We’re looking to bounce back from Virginia Tech and get on the right foot. We’re looking forward to it.”
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