The Blue Devils will get their second opportunity to take down the No. 1 team in the country.
No. 4 Duke opens ACC play against top-ranked Syracuse Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y. The Blue Devils lost a 17-13 thriller to then top-ranked Denver Feb. 14, winning just nine of 34 faceoffs against the Pioneers.
Duke has won four of its previous five tilts against the Orange, but dropped the pair’s most recent meeting in the 2014 ACC tournament. Sunday's contest will feature two of the top five offensive teams in the country and is sure to usher in the conference season with a bang.
“There is a different energy that is brought by both teams in ACC games,” Duke head coach John Danowski said. “The energy ramps up. With a little luck you will wind up playing an opponent in the ACC two or sometimes even three times a year, so you really want to compete.”
As has been the trend all year, the Blue Devils (7-1) will rely on junior Myles Jones to ignite an offense that explodes for 16.0 goals per game. The Huntington, N.Y., native recorded three goals and two assists in the final period against Georgetown March 14 to carry his team past the Hoyas and will look to play a similar role Sunday against Syracuse (6-0).
Left alone, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound midfielder has more than enough muscle to power through defenders. However, if opponents decide to bring double coverage, Jones can just as easily pass the ball to the open man for an uncontested shot. Averaging 5.6 points per game—fifth-best in the nation—the junior is a nightmare for any defensive unit and will test a stout Orange defense that ranks sixth in the country, holding opponents to 7.8 goals per contest.
“Each week we want to play athletic and fast,” Danowski said. “It’s a little bit easier said than done at times, but we find most ACC contests are up-and-down, athletic contests. You see a lot of plays by both teams.”
Duke will also look for an improved performance from junior faceoff specialist Jack Rowe in its bout against the Orange. Rowe went only 8-of-28 from inside the faceoff in the Blue Devils’ trip to Denver, but has fared much better recently, winning 18-of-20 draw opportunities against Providence and 18-of-26 against Georgetown. The Vienna, Va., native currently boats the second-best faceoff wining percentage in the ACC, but will have his work cut out for him Sunday when he squares up against the conference’s faceoff leader in Syracuse’s Ben Williams, who wins 68.9 percent of his draws.
The matchup between Jones and Williams should be pivotal to deciding the outcome of the game. For Duke to pull off the upset at the Carrier Dome, it will need to prevent Syracuse from running its offense at its own pace. The Blue Devils’ best tool in disrupting Syracuse’s offensive rhythm is winning the faceoff, which Danowski says is about more than just gaining possession.
“[By winning the faceoff], you can create momentum, or you can stop your opponent’s momentum," Danowski said. "Depending on the situation, you can also give your defense or offense a chance to relax. There is an emotional component to the draw that’s undeniable. You can’t quantify it, but it’s undeniable.”
On the defensive end, Duke will have its hands full corralling Orange senior Kevin Rice. The Skaneateles, N.Y., native is a formidable attacker in the crease with a eye for finding the open man, averaging 1.8 goals and 2.8 dimes per game. In his most recent contest, the Syracuse attackman dished a pivotal pass to teammate Randy Staats to spark a seven-goal run that powered the Orange past John Hopkins.
Although the Blue Devils’ defensive unit is talented, it is also inexperienced. A key to slowing down Rice and the Syracuse offense will be support from senior midfielder Will Haus. The Palmyra, Pa., native lends a 6-foot-1, 183-pound frame that can go toe-to-toe with any player in the country. Behind Haus, junior goaltender Luke Aaron provides big minutes for Duke between the pipes, boasting 79 saves on the year.
Featuring two storied programs and two top-five teams, Sunday’s matchup has all the makings of a NCAA tournament game. But despite the hype, Danowski is quick to stress that it is just the next game on Duke's schedule.
“We only get 16 games each season,” Danowski said. “Each game is special, and we tell the kids no game is more important than any other.... It’s exciting because it’s at the Carrier Dome—the Yankee Stadium of lacrosse."
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