The road has been rough for the Blue Devils this season, but home has been nothing short of a haven.
After suffering a loss against UNC Wilmington on Tuesday, Duke returns home to Koskinen Stadium to face Boston College, Friday at 7 p.m. While away from Durham, the Blue Devils are 0-3 but at Koskinen, Duke is a whopping 3-0-1 including an 8-2 romp over Stetson during the Duke Nike Invitational and a sensational upset over the then-No. 1 Tarheels.
Head coach John Kerr believes that his team’s play at home is encouraging, but he would really like to see that translate over to the road.
“First and foremost I want to continue the progress that we're making at home,” Kerr said. “We've been trying to prepare for these away games but it just hasn’t happened yet. If I had a magic formula I would be a big-time coach in the Premier League in England, but we're still working on it.”
Duke’s (3-3-1, 1-1-0 ACC) dominance on its own pitch has been impressive. At home the Blue Devil offense has averaged 3.5 goals per game and all but one of the goals scored on the season at Koskinen has been assisted on.
Friday’s game will feature two of the best offenses in the ACC. Duke’s offense is currently ranked first in the conference in total goals scored, average goals per game, and assists while Boston College (3-3-1, 0-2-0) is currently tied for third in total goals scored and tied for fourth in average goals per game.
Freshman Cameron Mosley is an important key to this powerful Blue Devil offense. The midfielder currently sits atop the ACC in goals, goals per game, points, and points per game.
But he hasn’t been doing this alone. Captain Sean Davis has played an integral part in facilitating this offense as the ACC leader in assists with five. Davis was especially key in the win against North Carolina where he recorded the game-tying goal and an assist on the eventual game winner. He added another assist in the loss against UNC Wilmington.
“[Sean] had been really good these past few games,” Kerr said. “He’s really lifted himself and the team with his intensity and his mindset and he’s been a revelation. And he proved that on Friday night in front of the whole United States [against North Carolina].”
Boston College comes in with an identical record to the Blue Devils but will be hungry to end a three-game losing skid that has included two straight overtime losses—the first against Harvard and the second against Louisville.
Sophomore forward Isaac Normesinu leads the Eagles in points and goals this season with nine and four respectively, but he has had plenty of help keeping the offense productive. Junior forward Phil Sandgren has seven points to go along with his three goals on the year and junior midfielder Derrick Boateng has amassed six points of his own on two goals and two assists.
“They’re a good team,” Kerr said. “They’ve got some fast weapons and talented strikers. They’ve got some transfers in… and they have three attacking midfielders that are fast as lightning and creative and dangerous so they’re a handful…. Our game plan is just to offset their weapons.”
The Blue Devils will look to contain the Eagles with a defense that has played better at home than on the road but has had its struggles this season.
Duke currently ranks last in the ACC in both total goals allowed and goals allowed per game with an average of 3.33 goals allowed per game but at home the Blue Devils have only allowed an average of 1.25 goals per game.
“The communication is key to every defense in terms of moving and shifting together,” Kerr said. “I think if we can improve on that aspect and organize ourselves a little bit quicker we’ll be in much better shape and not leave ourselves exposed.”
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