After playing one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country, Duke is hoping to start ACC play with a home win and snap a two-match winless streak.
The No. 12 Blue Devils will open their ACC schedule against unranked Miami Thursday at 7 p.m. at Koskinen Stadium. Although Duke's record does not stand up to that of many other top-15 teams, head coach Robbie Church said the team's start to this season is actually better than its record indicates.
“I know a lot of people look we’re 3-2-1 and may not think that’s as good as we’ve been the past couple of years, but it’s actually really good,” Church said. “We’ve had to replace seven starters… and that’s not easy to do. We’ve played the toughest schedule in the country and had to start five freshmen, had players injured… so if you look at the big picture we’ve done really well.”
The Hurricanes (5-0-0) will be no pushovers, as they enter this game unbeaten and having outscored opponents by a 15-5 margin. Miami is ranked 19th in the country in scoring offense, and the Blue Devils (3-2-1) are ranked 229th.
Church said that one of the most difficult parts of transitioning to the ACC schedule could be the youth in his starting lineup.
“It’s a tough ACC season,” Church said. “You go in and play four, five freshmen in the ACC and that’s tough to do. But these are good freshmen and they can handle their own, and I think the upperclassmen will come to form.”
To get the better of the Hurricanes, Duke will have to shut down junior forward Ashley Finn. She already has six goals on the season, which includes two game-winners. Finn is not Miami's only offensive weapon, as a total of nine players have notched goals for the Hurricanes in the early-going.
A major force in the Duke defense could be freshman Christina Gibbons, who was selected to the all-tournament team at last week's Duke Nike Classic.
"She’s been so consistent from day one. She’s been just outstanding from day one," Church said. "She plays on the right hand side of our back, left hand side of the back and we like to attack with our outside backs. She is a two-way player. She can really attack and she can really defend—she can do it all.”
The Blue Devils have had no shortage of opportunities on the offensive end this season, but have struggled to put the ball in the back of the net. Duke only has five goals to show for it, and the Blue Devils have not yet managed to score more than one goal in a single game.
Church said that execution in the attacking third could be the key to a successful ACC campaign.
"The big elephant in the room is that we have to score more goals. As we go forward those goals are going to come," Church said. "I know the character of our players. They’re working hard. They want to score goals. They want to help their teammates out, but we’re just pressing a little bit in the final third with our final decisions."
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